Flooding: Need to Cushion Devastation in Rivers State 

Visit by THISDAY to some of the IDP camps in Rivers State revealed the hardship occasioned by the depreciating condition since the flooding disaster struck some parts of the state. At the moment, Blessing Ibunge reports that the survivors are badly in need of prompt intervention from government at all levels, as well as the International community, to cushion the effect of the devastation

Prior to emergence of the flooding across the nation, including the Niger Delta States, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had warned that the people should prepare for alternative solution ahead of the raining season.

The South South Coordinator of NEMA, Godwin Tepikor, in a briefing in Port Harcourt, had explained that Rivers Niger and Benue often empty their waters in the Niger Delta region when they overflow during the rainy season.

Tepikor, had also called on local government council authorities to identify high places where their citizens can be relocated when the flooding starts.

He said disclosed the local government areas that may be impacted by flooding as include; Abua Odual, Ahoada East and West, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Okirika, Asari Tori, Akuku Toru and Andoni.

And the Floods Came 

Like predicted, the floods came in all its fury and sacked residents of several communities in four local government areas of Rivers State. The communities mostly located along the sea banks of Orashi River and its tributaries, are located in Abua/Odual, Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas of the state.

In Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area alone, over 20 communities were submerged by the flood and for the agrarian communities, it portend grave danger as their farmlands were washed away.

But beyond this, lives were lost including those of children and the elder, who were most vulnerable. Also submerged were schools, markets and other basic amenities the communities once enjoyed. 

Widespread Need Despite Emergency Relief Measures 

Despite the recent promise by the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, approving the sum of N1billion for emergency relief measures to relieve the sufferings of flood victims in Ahoada West and Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni (ONELGA) Local Government Areas of the state, victims of the flood disaster are still lamenting hardship and neglect.

Governor Wike, who empathised with the flood victims, had set up a taskforce to coordinate the distribution of relief materials to affected communities in the state, stressing that the intervention was to enable vulnerable families, particularly the most affected persons in Ahoada West and ONELGA, to cope with the devastating flood water which has inundated homes, farmlands and forced residents of affected communities to relocate to safer places.

Wike had made the monetary approval through his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri.

THISDAY Findings 

But THISDAY’s visit to some of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Ahoada and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas of the state, revealed that the affected victims are yet to feel the impact of the government as to cushion the effect of the disaster on them. 

The victims revealed that companies and individual organisation had assisted much in different ways by providing relief materials, foods and medication, but regretted that the government waited a longer time before pronouncing yet to be fulfilled assistance.

Tales of Woes

Mrs Queen Ako, a native of Akabuka, taking refuge in Ogbugu IDP camp in Who clan clan, ONELGA, told THISDAY last week that their condition has not got better rather have experienced so much hardship and abandonment by the state government.

The 27 years old mother of three children, lamented that the flood swept away her house, farms and including her source of livelihood; commercial goods.

Mrs Ako revealed that the flood which pursued them from their communities, claimed the life of one her male neighbour. She admitted that they have so far received support from TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, adding that they are dying of starvation.

She revealed “Water chased us from our house, many people died, our food, farms destroyed in the flood. One of our brother, John died in the flood and he has been buried.

“We are suffering now, no food, no money. Before the flood hit us this hard, I was a petty trader, selling onion, potatoes, fish, pepper and groundnut oil. The flood swept away all my goods, including my farm. The food they are giving to us is not enough, sometimes we eat once a day.”

THISDAY also spoke with two women, Oluchi Ben and Easter Isaac who delivered of a baby boy each in the Ogbugu IDP camp through the help of a male nurse contracted by TotalEnergies to assist the pregnant women and children at the camp. 

As at the time of the visit last Wednesday, the new mothers who thanked God for safe delivery of their babies, regretted that a day after they put to bed, they have not had even routine drugs or pain relief from any medical personnel. They claimed that the nurse on ground had shortage of drugs to administer to sick persons in the camp.

At Akabuka IDP camp, Mrs Catherine Wokocha, expressed “We are here because of flood and we are suffering. We need many things from the government- foams, foods, money, net and medicine. We are over 2000 chased by flood from our communities in Ogboburu, Akabuka, Ogbugu, Ohale, Ogbagi, Obite, Erema”.

Oreke Silver,  a camp coordinator at Akabuka, revealed that they have about 19 pregnant women and over 2000 victims in the camp.

He said “Right now we are getting food from the contractors TotalEnergies have employed to supply us food and the food is not enough compare to the numbers we have here. Like this morning they brought about three coolers of beans but it could not feed the whole people in this camp.

“Majorly, our concern is on pregnant women, children below five years and the aged ones. We have about 19 pregnant women here in this camp and some of them are already due for delivery. We have an emergency here two days ago, a man had stroke because of his condition”. 

Mrs Cecilia Ogbuku, a nurse at the Erema camp, admitted that they had shortage of drugs, as a result could not attend to all the sick persons in the camp.

Mr Ogbuku told THISDAY “We have been attending to the flood victims but for the past two days we have short of drugs but we reported to the people concerned and they promised to bring drugs but have not received yet. So, I treat them with what I have.

‘I told them they have diarrhea and cough they should come because that is the only drugs available now. TotalEnergies have tried for the victims. We have some emergency which we referred to the Total clinic for better medical attention. We have over eight pregnant women here”.

Also on visit to flood affected communities, Mr Abraham Dukuma, Chairman, Egi Flood Management Media Sub-Committee revealed that perennial floodings of communities of ONELGA have brought untold hardship on the people.

He said “The floods did not only destroy our farmlands, force us out of our homes into internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps, but also submerged our entire communities, thus causing severe economic and social crises.

“The environment is degraded and polluted, causing the spread of strange sicknesses and diseases. The people of Egi Kingdom have had more than their fair share of the  terrible situation precipitated by this development”.

Also recounting her experience, a popular Afrocentric musician, Muma Gee lamented that her ancestral home in Ekpeye kingdom, Ahoada East has been swept off by flood.

Gee told THISDAY that properties worth millions of dollars have been submerged in water, with families displaced.

The philanthropist 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 Ahoad East LGA of Rivers State have been sacked by flood with families displaced as they all scramble for safety.

“Flood has sacked my entire community including my ancestral home. Since the first flooding incident that affected neighbouring communities, myself and team had rallied around the affected communities providing relief materials to cushion the effect of the disaster little did I know my own community will be badly impacted in the second wave that began days back.

“Right now, those at various camp centres and open fields are going through hell, no food, no medication, no water and life has been so deplorable for them; I am still confused as to how I can deal with the current situation, but I definitely can’t deal with it alone”.

Calls for Assistance

Mr Dukuma had called on the government at local, state and federal levels to come to their aid in ONELGA, said the prolonged inundation of the entire area has brought unbearable hardships on his people.

He said “We also appeal to the international community for support in order to pull through this dark phase of our lives.

“We must thank both the state government for releasing N1 billion and TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited for providing some succour for our people. But considering the magnitude of the economic, social, health, environmental and sundry challenges induced by this floodings, we passionately appeal to all concerned to do more to salvage the ugly situation”.

For Muma Gee who said the flood has ravaged the Orashi area in Rivers, cried out to the federal government and international community for assistant to tackle their challenges.

On his part, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide called on President Muhammadu Buhari  to order special urgent humanitarian response to the Niger Delta region and rescue the dying victims of flood in the various states of the area.

The Ijaw youths flayed the alleged silence of the Federal Government to the ongoing floods ravaging the Niger Delta region especially Bayelsa and Rivers State.

He demanded the deployment of presidential fleet to the state to rescue trapped victims and mitigate the damage already done by the flood.

Government’s Attempt to Cushion Effects of Flooding 

Following the calls by affected communities and several organisations on the government to tackle the effects of flood and provide succour for victims of the flood incidents in Rivers, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana O. Umana on Thursday, visited some heavily impacted areas in Rivers.

During a working tour of one of the devastated areas at Ihuike Community in Ahoada East, Umana expressed shock at the level of devastation, pledging that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Niger Delta Development Commission.(NDDC) will commence remedial action on the road.

The Niger Delta Affairs Minister assured flood victims across the Niger Delta that there will be a comprehensive intervention to ameliorate their sufferings.

The minister who was accompanied by the acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Engr. Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, and other directors of the commission, described the flood disaster as a national emergency.

Umana said: “I have directed the NDDC to engage SETRACO, the construction company working on the road, to quickly assess the damages at the Ahoada section of the East West Road, so that they can commence remedial repairs to restore the link between Rivers and Bayelsa States.”

He said his ministry was collaborating with the NDDC, NEMA, and other federal government parastatals and state governments to offer medical and infrastructural assistance to impacted communities in the affected states.

Umana expressed sympathy for the thousands of persons displaced by the flood, and the families of those who have lost their loved-ones, noting that urgent measures were being taken by the various organs of government to assist communities in the Niger Delta region by providing relief assistance to displaced persons, as well as rebuild damaged infrastructures across the region.

The minister pleaded with the people across the region to assist one another to overcome these challenges, stating that he and his staff are working round the clock with other government agencies to provide relief materials to all affected persons across the region.

Also speaking at the occasion, the NDDC Chief Executive Officer, Audu-Ohwavborua restated the assurances given by the minister on addressing the challenges posed by the flood.

Audu-Ohwavborua stated that while the engineers are on site working to repair the road, ” The NDDC as an interventionist agency will complement the efforts of both the federal and state governments by providing relief materials to those affected by this unfortunate disaster and boats will be provided soon to ease the stress commuters face on a daily basis.”

Quotes

Majorly, our concern is on pregnant women, children below five years and the aged ones. We have about 19 pregnant women here in this camp and some of them are already due for delivery. We have an emergency here two days ago, a man had stroke because of his condition

The floods did not only destroy our farmlands, force us out of our homes into internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps, but also submerged our entire communities, thus causing severe economic and social crises. The environment is degraded and polluted, causing spread of strange sicknesses and diseases