Francis Sardauna in Katsina
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday condoled with the people of Katsina State over the recent rainstorm and flood, which claimed over 12 lives and destroyed property worth millions of naira, and promised to assist the victims.
He said the federal government will send officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to ascertain the damage caused by the natural disasters for prompt intervention.
President Buhari, who arrived Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport at about 9:56am to commiserate with the government and people of the state in company with Governor Aminu Bello Masari and other top officials, paid a condolence visit to the Emir of Katsina, Dr. Abdulmumini Kabir Usman.
Speaking at the emir’s palace, the president sympathised with the emir and the affected persons and assured them that he will do everything in his power to ameliorate the plights of the affected people.
He said: “I’m here to commiserate with you over the loss you recorded. I want to assure you that the federal government will stand with you through this trying time. May God return what you lost and even more than what you had lost.”
The Emir applauded the president for the concern shown to the people affected by the rainstorm across the nation.
Earlier, Governor Masari informed President Buhari that the property lost during the rainstorm and flood was about N2.3 billion.
He said the state government will spend the sum of N200 million to fix roofs of primary and secondary schools affected from the first incidence in the state.
According to him, “We have taken measures to construct culverts and drainage in some villages affected. Where there are no access road to even take interventions to the affected victims.
“Government has taken measures to ensure access to the people because most of the places affected are remote areas where vehicles cannot access. The Urban and Regional planning are also working to ensure that drainage are constructed at the point of commencement of buildings.
“But what happened were mostly windstorm that cannot be controlled. We experienced a windstorm that we have never experienced in the past. The destruction from the incidence was like that of a war front.”
The rainstorm and flood destroyed over 600 houses in Katsina metropolis, Musawa, Mashi and Charanchi Local Government Areas of the state forcing thousands to take refuge in relatives’ homes.
