Lawmakers in the House of Representatives accuse Minister of negligence; wants her immediate resignation or sack by the President following handling of flooding crisis.
The Niger Delta Caucus in the House of Representatives has called for the resignation or sack by President Muhammadu Buhari of the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Faruq.
The lawmakers who made the call on Monday, during a briefing at the National Assembly Complex made the call following her recent comment on Bayelsa not being among the top 10 states worse hit by the floods ravaging states in the country.
Ms. Faruq during a Ministerial briefing at the State House, Abuja faulted a statement by Elder statesman, Edwin Clark about the federal government’s neglect of Bayelsa State amid the flood crisis.
“We have a humanitarian minister that is not humane, who was only active to carry out school-feeding of schoolchildren who were confined to their homes during the COVID-19 lockdown,” Clark said.
“In such an urgent situation of ravaging flood, she has decided to maintain a disquieting quietness. Bodies like the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were not able to take proactive measures,” she added.
“Where is the mother of the nation, the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari? Her fellow women are in deep agony, seeing their children dying of starvation and treatable minor illnesses because there is no medication.”
According to her, the ministry had distributed relief materials to affected persons in Bayelsa through the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), adding that the flood disaster is a national issue and she was doing her best in discharging her duties.
“Merely looking at me, you know that I am humane,” she added.
Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq
Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq is a journalist, thought leader and political analyst with keen interest in governance and Nigerian history and politics
