Atiku charges FG over humanitarian aid to flood victims

People's Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar has urged the federal government to launch humanitarian aid for flood victims.

The Wazirin Adamawa, who acknowledged that climate change is real, added that the floods that followed torrential downpours in towns and villages in Nigeria, as in other places around the world, confirm this.

Atiku, in a statement on Sunday, described the flood damage as disturbing.

He revealed that public social amenities like schools and hospitals have been affected.

The statement reads in part: "However, it is safe to say that no one bears the burden of these floods like our farmers.

“Media abounds on swathes of farmland and food crops washed away.

“The consequence of these losses suffered by our farmers will be felt by all of us. Any hope of a bumper harvest is now diminished.

“This will only add to the misery in our villages and towns as food prices continue to soar.

“I share the pain of the victims of these floods, including communities whose local health centres, markets and schools have been destroyed. Or even people who have been displaced. I also extend my condolences to those who have lost loved ones.

“Therefore, I urge governments at all levels to unveil a special humanitarian assistance program to provide immediate relief to affected communities.

"These unfortunate incidents should alert us to the urgency of our responsiveness to the problems of climate change and global warming."

Atiku said this is a clear call that non-governmental organizations must also heed and focus their advocacy on raising awareness among the vulnerable public on how to manage and mitigate disasters related to global warming .