Plateau Federal Lawmaker Komsol Makes Case for Flood Victims

By Golok Nanmwa ,Jos

Farmers in four Shendam villages of Plateau State are counting their losses after a devastating Flood washed away their farmlands and destroyed some houses.

The residents who are predominantly farmers have recently had to abandon their farmlands incurring losses amounting to millions of naira, a situation that attracted the attention of the lawmaker representing Shendam Mikang Quanpan federal constituency in the National Assembly Komsol Alphonsus Longap.

Worried by the devastating state of destruction, Komsol undertook an assessments tour of Dokan Tofa, Kalung, Puship and Minkaat wards of Shendam local government area of the state to ascertain the level of damage in the community.

While inspecting the affected farmlands the member advise them to engage in alternative methods of farming and avoid cultivating floodplains.

He said ”My visit is to see how we can assist them. Most especially This government of APC that we are more interested in farming and i intend to seek assistance from the federal government most especially from the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA”.

The lawmaker decried the effects of insecurity which hinder local farmers from accessing their farmlands in the hinterlands. “The most serious aspect of this situation is security. If there is security they will leave the riverbank and seek alternative farmlands. We have farmlands to cultivate but the security situation will not allow them to go into the interior”.

Irene Pyentel, a member of the Judicial Service Commission who accompanied the lawmaker believed that government will assist the farmers. “There’s no time for them to begin to plant another crop since the farming season has gone far but I believe that this government will lend them a helping hand.

The visit afforded the constituents opportunity to Bare their minds On the unfortunate incident that got their farm lands washed away. They called on the lawmaker and relevant agencies to come to their aid.

Narrating his experience, the youth leader of Bakin Kogi, Hoomen Tengshep said “around 4 o clock we heard the sound of the flood and I ran out to inform other people staying at the River Bank of the rampaging Flood”.

On his own part, youth leader of Kpoship ward of Shendam local government area, Pius Kingdom said nother one said “Our rice, sugarcane, our cassava and other crops were all destroyed. We don’t have any other thing to do except farming”.

Counsellor representing Dokan Tofa ward of Shendam local government area on his own part join in calling for support for to assist the farmers cope with the flood devastation. He said “my call now is for the government to assist the community. There is NEMA and other organizations who can come to our aid and we will be very grateful because the loss is too much”.

Earlier the lawmaker paid homage to some traditional rulers among which are the Kawan Doka, Goenaa of Kalung, Long Minkaat and others.

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Plateau Federal Lawmaker Komsol Makes Case for Flood Victims