Faced with rising waters following heavy rainfall that has caused significant damage to local populations in recent weeks, the government has decided on urgent assistance measures to relieve the suffering of the population. This is what the Council of Ministers said on Wednesday 19 October 2022 in Cotonou.
“From the various reports and observations made by the National Agency of Civil Protection (ANPC), it appears that on 10 October 2022, forty (40) communes were victims of flooding. These are classified into two categories. The first category is made up of sixteen local authorities severely affected, having recorded significant damage; and the second category is made up of twenty-four whose damage is of lesser importance,” the minutes of the council of ministers state.
Indeed, heavy rainfall has caused rising water levels in Benin and flooding in several cities. According to the provisional balance sheet of the General Directorate of the National Agency of Civil Protection as of 7 September 2022, there were four deaths, 10,063 people affected and significant damage. Agricultural and livestock losses are considerable. Several houses were destroyed. Many tracks have been degraded or have become impassable without a boat. Four crossing structures have collapsed under the pressure of the water. In view of this gloomy picture, the government of Patrice Talon has decided to bring a sigh of relief to the populations concerned.
“In view of the difficulties experienced by the affected populations, the Government has decided to provide them with the necessary assistance, using an innovative approach. This consists of making available substantial resources that will be used for the local acquisition and distribution of food and non-food products, at the behest of a committee chaired by the Prefect of the department, assisted by the heads of the deconcentrated services of the State and/or local authorities concerned,” adds the statement of the Council of Ministers.
It should be recalled that in the face of warnings from the Benin Meteorological Agency on the acute nature of the phenomenon this year, the Council of Ministers, in its meeting of 7 September 2022, decided to reinforce civil protection measures against floods. And to accompany the country of the Amazons, the World Bank has provided Benin with approximately CFAF 130 billion in funding to reduce the risk of flooding in secondary cities through resilient infrastructure and increased capacity
It is therefore following these structural or cyclical measures that the government envisaged more concrete measures. The Executive intends to show national solidarity with the affected populations.
