The Nigerian Government has been advised to explore Public Private Partnership, PPP, in resolving the perennial flooding disaster facing the country.
The National President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye, urged the Federal Government to opt for PPP solution in dredging of River Benue and Niger.
Meshioye spoke when he visited Harbor-Bridge Head Industrial Layout in Onitsha, Anambra State.
He visited the layout to assess the level of damage done on factories by the flood disaster.
Flood has affected infrastructure and equipment while thousands of jobs are threatened because companies affected struggle to recuperate from the impact.
Meshioye said: “There are many options the Federal Government has in finding lasting solutions to this challenge which include short term, long term and permanent solutions to this crisis.
“But most importantly, there is a need for an urgent but permanent solution to end this nightmare entirely.
“The Federal Government must consider private public arrangements in the dredging of the two major rivers in Nigeria and construction of dams that will mitigate the impact when excess water is released from Lagdo Dam in Cameron.”
The MAN President also condoled with the Anambra State government over the death of indigenes due to the flood and its members for damages done to their facility.
The Chairman of MAN Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States Chapter, Lady Ada Chukwudozie lamented over the impact of the deluge on their business and regretted that this is coming when local manufacturers in the South East region are suffering from insecurity and incessant sit at home orders in the region.
Chukwudozie said the decennial flood disaster in the region will continue to shrink the business ecosystem for companies on the bank of the River Niger.
“The Harbor-Bridge Head Industrial Layout, Onitsha is a major manufacturing cluster in Nigeria with not less than fifty companies and factories that have created jobs in thousands and invested massively in infrastructure, wealth creation, security, improving the living standards and in other areas of corporate social responsibilities in their host communities,” she said.
Lately, some states in Nigeria have been affected by flooding with several locales and residents displaced.
Some residences in Benue, Anambra, Kogi, and Bayelsa States among others have been sacked from their houses due to flooding.
The flooding is believed to have been caused by the release of water from a dam in Cameroon.
