By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

As the perennial flood continues to wreck havoc in some parts of Bayelsa State, the state government has empathized with affected communities and residents, assuring that help is on the way.

Technical Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Comrade Alagoa Morris, who led some Civil Society Organizations, CSOs,  to visit some flood impacted communities in Yenagoa, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Sagbama and Ogbia Local Government Areas, said the state government is deeply concerned about the plight of the people.

The impacted communities visited include, Adagbabiri in Sagbama Local Government Area, Sampou in Kolokuma/Opokuma, Kolo 2 in Ogbia local Government Area and some parts of Yenagoa, the state capital.

Addressing the flood impacted communities, Morris said: “As a matter of fact we have seen and heard from the people , it is true that the current flood as affected some of the communities. On the part of government there are serious concerns and modalities are in place and in due season government will reach out to the affected communities. The commissioner for  Environment , would have led this team but due to other assignments he is not here.

“The government is working hard behind the scene and will surely get back to the people either through SEMA or any other way to show that concern with the communities that are so impacted. This is the message of hope and assured prosperity of Governor Douye Diri.

“The communities need the sympathy and empathy of the government and other well meaning organisation because it’ is not of their own making , Bayelsa State is already way down below sea level.

“I want to also commend the state government for sustaining the flood break , I think the school break should be sustain for as long as possible until further notice when we see that things have actually change as far as this situation is concern.

“As time goes on I think government will begin to categorize these floods into monster, not monster, big, medium and small because floods must come every year.”

Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, the Programme Officer, Environmental Defenders Network, EDEN, Ziworitin Monday, said urgent action is needed from the state government and intervention agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission,NDDC, and National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA to provide coordinated assistance, including medical supplies and food, adding that the the situation remains dire, necessitating collaboration with NGOs and the media for effective distribution of aid to the flood victims.

Monday said: “A recent field inspection in Bayelsa State, led by Comrade Chief Alagoa Morris, revealed significant flooding affecting the three senatorial districts. Residents of Adagbabiri in Sagbama Local Government area, Sampou in Kolokuma/Opokuma and Kolo 2 in Ogbia Local Government Area are vacating homes, losing properties worth millions of naira, with many seeking shelter in schools, churches, anywhere with higher grounds including incomplete community buildings. 

“In some cases an entire area had been deserted with a lot of farmers in the communities engaged in panic harvesting as they anxiously await government relief materials. Urgent action is needed from the state government and intervention agencies like NDDC and NEMA to provide coordinated assistance, including medical supplies and food. The situation remains dire, necessitating collaboration with NGOs and the media for effective distribution of aid to the flood victims.

“Yes the government had visited and made promises there should be no delay in execution as victims are yet to receive any assistance from it therefore they seem hopeless. the governments intervention should be in form of cash transfers to cushion the affected families, as seen in Katsina State where over ₦3 billion was allocated. they are supposed to establishing disaster relief funds, like the one announced by President Tinubu for Borno State, to facilitate immediate aid and distribute essential items such as water. internationally displaced camps, foams, mosquito nets.”

The Community Development Committee, CDC, leadership in Sampou, Adagbabiri and Kolo 2 communities, in their separate remarks, said the flood has damage farmlands, and distrupted the socio -economic life of the communities as indigenes have been forced to relocate and seek refuge elsewhere.

They appealed to government at all levels and relevant government agencies to come to their aid by providing food, medical supplies and other basic necessities to cushion the effects of the flood on the people.