As aftermath of ferocious flooding, residents of the affected communities in Bayelsa State are prone to starvation, homelessness, and outbreak of epidemic caused by offensive odour, Straightnews has gathered.
Offensive odour from cemeteries in the Azikoro town and power outage in most areas of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital are worsening the devastating effects of the flood that has submerged over 300 communities and displaced 700,000 residents.
Residents of Azikoro town where the major cemetery is located said despite the fact that many residents have left the area due to flood, the community is facing emanating odour that can cause a major outbreak of epidemic and severe health conditions.
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Means of likelihood and farmlands are affected that could result in starvation and malnutrition of the victims in the flooded areas.
Already, the commissioner for Environment and chairman of the state’s Task Force on Flood Mitigation and Management, Mr. Iselema Gbaranbiri, has raised concerns about reported cases of corpses being washed up at the cemetery in Azikoro town.
Gbaranbiri stated that about 700,000 persons had either been displaced or affected by the flood and that virtually all the communities and streets in Yenagoa local government area had also been either submerged or partially flooded.
He said the communities affected were in five other local government areas namely Sagbama, Ekeremor, Ogbia, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Southern Ijaw.
Governor Douye Diri, who was on-the-spot assessment tour to Southern Ijaw local government area and other communities in Yenagoa local government area visited the Amassoma road leading to the Niger Delta University (NDU), which had been cut off on three points along the road leaving commuters stranded.
Diri had, at the weekend, expressed the concerns over the devastating impact of this year’s flooding in more than 300 communities in the five out of eight existing local government areas had either been totally or partially submerged in the state, declaring that it might result in humanitarian crisis.
While lamenting the huge cost of fixing the damaged roads by his government, Diri stressed that individual losses of property and deaths would be minimal if a permanent solution were immediately adopted.
“I have already thought out a line of action. Post-flood mitigation is very important to us at this time. The post-flood period will be about our destroyed infrastructure, particularly roads.
“On Thursday, we saw the road leading to Sagbama from Ekeremor had been badly damaged by the flood. Now, the road from Yenagoa to Amassoma, where you have the Niger Delta University has collapsed in three areas. So, even with the ASUU calling off its strike, the university cannot resume. That is what I have been talking about the peculiarity of Bayelsa State and our Niger Delta environment.
“It will cost the state billions of naira before those roads would be repaired. Also, there are individual losses in terms of houses that have collapsed as a result of the flood and the deaths we have witnessed.
“In the post-flood management, the federal government has to sit with the states to look for a lasting and permanent solution. One of such solutions is the construction of a dam so when water is released from wherever, we should be able to contain it in Nigeria,” he said.
Giving an update on the committee’s activities, the Commissioner for Environment, Iselema Gbaranbiri, said that virtually all the communities and streets in Yenagoa Local Government Area have also been either submerged or partially flooded.
According to him, communities in five other local government areas namely, Sagbama, Ekeremor, Ogbia, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Southern Ijaw were equally seriously affected by the flood.
Gbaranbiri, who is also the Chairman of the state Task Force on Flood Mitigation and Management, said there had been reported cases of corpses being washed up at the cemetery in Asokoro, raising concerns of an impending health crisis.
He, however, assured residents that the government would do its best to bring relief to victims of the flood as the committee was working round the clock to address the challenge of the current crisis.
Bayelsa declares holiday
Meanwhile, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, Tuesday, declared a one-week holiday for civil servants in the State, except those on essential duties.
He said, “I have directed all civil servants except those on essential duties to be given time off from work for the next one week.
Diri, who stated this in a statewide broadcast, also lamented the ravaging flood in the State describing it as ”a desperate situation getting worse.’’
He said; “Over the last few days, floods have overwhelmed our communities and severely impacted the lives and livelihood of our people. This is a natural disaster that has affected many other states of the Federation to various degrees. I have been on a tour of several of our communities to see at first hand the extent of destruction. Our experience has shown that the flood water empties into our State.
“From my personal assessment, the situation is dire. Nearly a million people in over 300 communities in the state have been internally displaced. Unfortunately, some deaths have been reported.
‘‘The narrative is the same across Sagbama, Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Ogbia, Yenagoa, Nembe and Kolokuma Opokuma Local Government Areas. Businesses have been shut, properties lost and farm lands destroyed. We have a humanitarian crisis.
“Critical infrastructure like hospitals, roads, bridges and schools, including the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma, the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, and the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, have been severely affected.
“As I make this address, Bayelsa State is completely severed from the rest of the country as portions of the strategic East-West Road, the sole access to and from the state, between Ughelli and Patani in Delta State as well as Okogbe and Ahoada in Rivers State have collapsed with a high volume of flood water occupying the stretch. Economic hardship has set in, as food, medical provisions and energy are now in short supply. The situation is desperate and getting worse.
“Without exaggeration, the sheer scale of the devastation is not such that the state can handle on its own. We urgently solicit the support of Multinationals, International Donor Agencies, the Red Cross, Diplomatic Missions and people of goodwill to come to the aid of our state.
“I appeal to Mr. President to consider special grants to the state from the Stabilization Funds, Ecological Funds and Natural Resources Fund.
“My dear people of Bayelsa State, I know these are indeed trying times and you have my assurance that I will stand with you through every step of the recovery process.
“The Bayelsa State Task Force on Flood Mitigation and Management in liaison with the State Emergency Management Agency has established IDP camps, and providing relief materials for victims of the flood. I have also directed that the distribution of these relief materials should be done in a non-partisan manner. We are all first and foremost Bayelsans.
“The Task Force can be reached through the following numbers: 08050581188, 08166428624.
“I have directed all civil servants except those on essential duties to be given time off from work for the next one week.
“Let me make a special appeal to vendors, particularly of fuel, food, water and pharmaceuticals not to exploit the situation. We must be our brothers’ keeper.
“Government has also observed that at such moments of distress, some miscreants take advantage of the vulnerable population to commit crime. Let me make it clear that we will continue to have zero tolerance for crime and criminality.”
