Buhari to Water Resources Minister: Come Up with Flood Prevention Plan Within 90 Days

•Bayelsa elders’ council donates relief materials, urges president to visit Bayelsa 

•Diri lauds Azikel Group’s for donating N350m worth of food to victims

•Extends stay-at-home order for workers by one week

• Confirms flight resumption at Bayelsa airport 

• Flood has Sacked my ancestral home, Muma Gee laments

Deji Elumoye in Abuja, Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday directed the Minister of Water Resources to lead and coordinate with the Ministries of Environment and Transportation as well as State Governments to develop a Comprehensive Plan of Action for Preventing Flood Disaster in Nigeria.

According to a statement released by presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, the president’s directive, which was conveyed to the minister in a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, said the plan should be presented to him in 90 days.

Buhari is regularly receiving updates on the flooding situation in the country and restated his commitment towards addressing the challenges caused by the disaster in the country, he said.

Meanwhile, Bayelsa State Elders’ Council has called on the president to urgently visit Bayelsa State to personally assess the damage the flood has done to life and livelihood in the state.

The chairman of the Elder’s Council and former Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (Retired) made the call while speaking on behalf of the group when it donated food items including bags of rice and garri to the state government at the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) Camp at Ox-Bow Lake Yenagoa.

Jonah insisted that in line with the National Disaster Management System, it was the responsibility of the federal agencies to take the lead role rather than leaving the state to contend with the flood disaster, warning that the already appalling situation might relapse into humanitarian crisis if the federal government failed to act swiftly.

He said Bayelsa Elders’ Council was not comfortable with the attitude of a number of federal agencies who they accused of bulk passing, adding that advising Bayelsans to move to higher grounds was an advice out of misunderstanding because there are no high grounds to go to in Bayelsa.

They advised that the federal government should rather build flood shelters as it had done elsewhere to provide comfortable accommodation each time flood occurs.

The elders however were full of praises for the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri for the courage and determination he has demonstrated in the face of the flood disaster, saying that the Governors commitment to the welfare of flood victims has greatly given comfort and hope to residents of the state.

Jonah said in line with the national disaster management system, it was the responsibility of the federal government to lead the efforts by managing the crisis caused by the unprecedented flood that has taken over the whole state.

He said Bayelsa State Elders would continue to support the governor in his efforts at mitigating the effects of the flood on residents.

Receiving the relief materials, the Chairman of the Flood Mitigation Task Force and Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Iselema Gbaranbiri thanked the elders’ council for their humanitarian gesture and solidarity with government and people of Bayelsa State.

However, the numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ox-Bow camp has risen to over 5, 000 persons, just as donation from organisation and individuals keep coming it.

A visit to camp located in Yenagoa, the state capital showed that the facility at the pavilion had been over stretched beyond its limit, leading to calls for additional facilities to accommodate the swelling number of IDPs.

In a related development, Diri has urged corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals to take a cue from the management of Azikel Group of Companies that pledged a donation of N350 million worth of food items to flood victims in the state.

Diri made the call yesterday, when president of the firm, Dr. Azibapu Eruani, paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, commended Eruani, who is a son of the state, for identifying with the flood-ravaged people of the state, noting that it was a demonstration of his love for his people in their time of distress.

“You are the first person from our state to visit us at your level and capacity and that shows that you hold your people in your heart,” he said.

Diri, who also spoke on the state’s airport road being threatened by the flood, said the government took some urgent steps to rehabilitate portions of the road linking the facility and that the United Nigeria Airlines resumed commercial flights yesterday.

“Let me let Nigerians know that the airport is not cut off. Our airport is functional. That is why Azikel Group today flew into Yenagoa through the Bayelsa airport.

“We took some proactive steps on the road leading to the airport. That road is now motorable and the airline operating here has also resumed today,” he said.

Diri restated his call on the federal government to intervene in undertaking repair works on the portion of the East-West road ravaged by the flood at both axis of the bordering states of Rivers and Delta.

In his remarks, Eruani said his visit was to offer hope to the people since the state government alone cannot shoulder the challenges occasioned by the flood.

He said the massive devastation caused by this year’s floods informed his management’s decision to donate the food items to the victims.

In a related development, the governor announced the extension of the break for civil servants in the state by another one week.

He had last Tuesday during a state broadcast announced an initial break of one week to cushion the effect of the floods on workers in the state.

He made the fresh pronouncement at Zarama community where he made a stop in continuation of his tour of flood-impacted communities of Zarama and Okordia in Yenagoa local government area and Kalama in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area.

Diri stressed that the compassion of a true leader was felt not only during electioneering period, but also in times of distress.

He underscored the need for all to be their brother’s keeper, particularly in this trying times, noting that natural disasters were no respecter of political parties or ethnicity.

In separate remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah, and the member representing Yenagoa Constituency 3 in the State Assembly, Ted Elemeforo, urged the people to see themselves as one and care for one another.

Also, as floods continue to ravage the Orashi area in Rivers State, a popular Afrocentric musician, Muma Gee has cried out to the federal government and international community for assistant, saying her ancestral home in Ekpeye kingdom, Ahoada East has been swept off by flood.

The musician who spoke with THISDAY yesterday in Port Harcourt, lamented that properties worth millions of dollars have been submerged in water, with families displaced.

The philanthropist said since the incident affected their neighbouring communities, she and her team have tried to cushion the effect of the disaster by providing relief materials to the victims without the knowledge that her community will later be badly affected.

She lamented: “In fact, my community, have been submerged in water, properties worth millions of dollars, and regrettably too many parents were helpless as they lost small children to the disastrous flood.

“As I speak with you right now, I have been informed that the entire communities surrounding Ahoada East LGA of Rivers State have been sacked by flood with families displaced as they all scramble for safety.

Sympathising with victims of the flood, she thanked Governor Nyesom Wike for his recent intervention with the declaration of N1 billion, “to cushion the painful effect of the disaster on the people of Ahoada and other affected areas in the state.

“Let me use the opportunity to call on the federal government, international community multinational companies in Rivers State, as well as local and international businessmen and women to come to the aid of my good people of the region by donating funds and or provide palliatives to help these people survive through this difficult moment.”