Senate Demands Urgent Response to Flooding, Cost-of-Living Crisis

The Senate has urged governments at all levels to strengthen preparedness for flooding and improve relief efforts, while paying closer attention to the rising cost of living facing Nigerians.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio made the call on Tuesday as the Senate resumed plenary, expressing concern over the impact of flooding on communities, farmers and families across the country.

Akpabio called for early preparation, adequate protection of vulnerable communities and prompt distribution of relief materials to victims.

“A warning must lead to preparation, preparation must lead to protection, and relief must reach the people for whom it is intended,” he said.

He said flooding could have consequences beyond the immediate destruction of homes and property, particularly through the loss of agricultural produce and its potential impact on food security.

“When a farmer loses his harvest, our country loses food it can ill afford to spare. When a family loses its home, the nation has a stake in helping that family rise again,” Akpabio said.

The Senate President commended agencies and individuals involved in emergency response but called for faster and better-coordinated action from governments when disasters occur.

On the economy, Akpabio said the Senate must remain attentive to the experiences of Nigerians as lawmakers consider economic reforms and policies.

“Many Nigerians continue to bear a very heavy cost of living,” he said, stressing that policymakers must remain conscious of how economic conditions affect households.

He cited rising food prices and the difficulties faced by unemployed graduates among the pressures confronting citizens.

Akpabio said the experiences of people outside the National Assembly should remain central to lawmakers’ deliberations as the Senate resumed its legislative activities.

He urged the government to continue addressing the immediate effects of flooding while pursuing measures to ease economic pressures on Nigerians.