Niger East Senator, Sani Musa, has announced a donation of N50 million to support victims of the devastating flood in Mokwa Town of Niger State, which claimed numerous lives and caused extensive property damage.
Mr Musa, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, announced his donation in a statement on Saturday, describing it as a personal gesture of compassion and solidarity with victims of the humanitarian crisis.
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“As a demonstration of my personal commitment and compassion, I am supporting ongoing relief efforts with a donation of N50 million, along with several trucks of essential food supplies—including rice, millet, and maize—to help provide immediate sustenance to displaced and vulnerable members of the community,” he said
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the floods submerged houses, claimed more than 100 lives, and destroyed many properties
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The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported that the flood was caused by heavy rainfall and rising water levels from nearby rivers, resulting in the deaths of over 100 people and the destruction of infrastructure, including homes, roads, and farmlands.
President Bola Tinubu, responding to initial reports from NEMA, expressed deep concern over the situation.
Thereafter, the president ordered the immediate activation of the National Emergency Response Centre and instructed all relevant federal agencies to support the Niger State Government in addressing the crisis.
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Senator’s salary
Nigerian senators receive salaries and allowances, leading to huge monthly earnings.
The Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission, the body authorised by law to prepare salaries and allowances for public officers, prescribed that a senator is entitled to over N1,063,860 monthly.
The monthly pay consists of a basic salary of N168,866:70, a motor vehicle fueling and maintenance allowance of N126,650:00, a personal assistant pay of N42,216:66, domestic staff pay of N126,650:00, and entertainment pay of N50,660:00.
Other benefits include: utilities, N50,660:00; newspapers/periodicals N25,330:00; wardrobe allowance, N42,216,66:00; house maintenance, N8,443.33:00 and constituency allowance, N422,166:66.
Beyond the official salary, senators receive significant monthly allowances for office operations.
Shehu Sani, a former senator representing Kaduna Central, once confirmed that senators receive N13.5 million monthly for running costs in addition to their monthly consolidated salary and allowances.
Kano South Senator Kawu Sumaila recently disclosed that each senator earns a minimum of N21 million monthly when salaries, allowances, and running costs are combined.
Mr Sumaila, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said his basic monthly salary is less than N1 million, but with the addition of running costs, his total monthly earnings rise to at least N21 million.
Call for more support
In the statement, Mr Musa commended Governor Umar Bago, traditional institutions, and emergency responders in the state for their swift intervention.
The senator also called on wealthy individuals, corporate organisations, and humanitarian groups to support the victims.
“I commend the leadership and courage shown by Governor Bago, the Government of Niger State, the revered Etsu Nupe, and the tireless efforts of emergency responders, traditional leaders, and volunteers who are working diligently to bring relief and hope to the affected population.
“I also call upon fellow citizens, corporate bodies, and humanitarian organisations to come forward and contribute meaningfully to the recovery efforts. In times of hardship, our shared humanity and unity are our greatest strengths.”
NGO blames FG for flooding
Meanwhile, Environment Watch, a non-governmental organisation, attributed the flooding disaster to the failure to implement the Ministry of Works’ 2025 budget.
Speaking during a visit to one of the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Mokwa, the NGO’s Programme Manager, Haruna Ndazogi, criticised Minister of Works David Umahi, for failing to initiate procurement processes for critical infrastructure projects listed in the 2025 federal budget.
READ ALSO: Tinubu grieves over Mokwa flooding, orders swift response
“While the information available to us suggests that other MDAs have started issuing contracts for 2025, Minister Umahi, for reasons best known to him, has refused to kick start the process in the works ministry.
“We are worried that if care is not taken, we may be experiencing more and more flood disasters since roads, culverts, and bridges that would have been fixed had the ministry-approved contracts from the 2025 fiscal year are left in a state of disrepair”, he added.
He accused the minister of focusing on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project while neglecting critical rural infrastructure that could prevent disasters in vulnerable communities.
Mr Ndazogi also disclosed that consultations with some lawmakers revealed that several flood-prone areas, including roads and drainage systems, had been captured in the 2025 budget as constituency projects. However, due to bureaucratic delays, none of those projects have commenced.
He urged President Tinubu to investigate the circumstances surrounding the flood incident and remove cabinet members allegedly sabotaging national development goals.
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