…Explain why some victims refused to leave submerged communities

By Egufe Yafugborhi

AUTHORITIES in Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas (LGA), the localities worst hit by the 2022 flood in Rivers state have cried out to the Federal Government, noting that FG has shown no concern as the disaster sacks thousands of people, destroying property and livelihoods in the state.

Ben Eke, Chairman Ahoada East Local Government (LG) and his Ahoada West counterpart, Hope Ikiriko who spoke to Vanguard weekend on stakeholders efforts at easing pains of flood Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in their domains, also explained why some residents have refused to be evacuated from their submerged communities.

Eke said, “This is the worst flood situation I’ve witnessed. Every community in Ahoada East is affected. We are talking about over 54 communities. Right now you can’t even access most of the communities.

“With respect to 2022 flood, federal has not done anything. Only yesterday, my Chief of Staff told me somebody called to introduce self as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Coordinator in Rivers state. We’ve not gotten any contact. NEMA has not done anything to the best of my knowledge.”

Hope Ikiriko, Ahoada West LG boss said, “I can tell you that we’re the worst heat. We have more than 70 communities, all of them severely impacted. We have both riverine and upland communities, both having their own flood challenge.

“Thanks to the state government that is supporting us enormously, but federal government, no support, nothing, no calls, no interface, no communication.”

On level of intervention being made, Eke said, “In Ahoada East alone, we have about 18 IDP camps. Other communities already cut off are staying in health centers, town halls and sundry places. Working with my Ahoada West counterpart with immense support from the State Government, we are doing our best to reduce the suffering on our people.

“As a council we have had to send boats and relief materials to them. The Governor (Nyesom Wike) has been so responsive, so supportive. He released the sum of N1Billion and a committee set up over the flood situation in Rivers.

“He’s doing his best, also supplying relief materials to the affected localities. We’re happy that a company like TotalEnergies has also come to sympathise with our people. This would go a long way in alleviating their suffering.”

Ikiriko (Ahoada West LG) said, “Because all the communities are affected, we can’t say we’re on top of our game because we don’t have the capacity to manage a crisis of such magnitude.  This is not the first time we’re encountering this disaster. We had it in 2012, 2018, 2012, 2020.

“So we have reasonable experience on how to manage it the best way we can. We began by sending flood alert to them through various channels, asking them to temporarily relocate upland and some to go to IDP camps closest to them.

“You know many didn’t heed to the alert totally. Some people in the high risk areas still stayed in their homes. And then there were calls for evacuation. We sent buses, also sent canoes. Then we set up the IDP camps, over 25 of them. Even at that there are people still in their communities.”

Why some victims refused evacuation

Ikiriko said, “They use uncompleted story buildings and remain there. We understand it’s not possible for every resident to leave the flooded communities because of instances where strangers move in to steal properties when affected residents have been evacuated

“So in their own local arrangement they keep some persons to remain in the various flood overwhelmed communities. You have people who don’t want to come to the IDP camps, don’t have relatives elsewhere, so they remain there. To those, we have sent food items, and medicare to some in the IDP camps.”

Calls and text contacts made to Godwin Tepikor, Port Harcourt Zonal Coordinator, NEMA to explain the agency’s interventions in the state failed to materialise as no response was given.