Atiku to visit flooded states, as Obi, Diri seek support for victims

• FG Needs To Declare Emergency In Bayelsa —Obi
• 99% Of Bayelsans Living As IDPs, Says Gov Diri

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, will commence the tour of states with high incidences of flooding across all geo-political zones in the country on Tuesday.

A statement released by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, stated that the PDP presidential flag bearer shall be visiting Bayelsa State, to kickstart the tour.

This was as the Presidential candidate of Labour Party and former Governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi and Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, called on the Federal Government and other donor agencies to quickly come to the aid of the state as the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) swell daily in Bayelsa state.

Both lamented the havoc and destruction left by the rampaging flood, which is yet to recede, saying that no state can handle both the humanitarian and infrastructural effects of the flooding alone.

According to the statement by Atiku’s aide, Ibe, “the tours to states ravaged by flooding become incumbent in view of the trauma that the incidents have caused its victims.”

The statement continued: “The tours will provide the presidential candidate the opportunity to have an on-sight impact assessment of these flooding incidents and give him a veritable window to input those ecological concerns in his policy documents.”

Ibe recalled that the PDP presidential candidate had supported flood victims in Jigawa, Yobe and Kano in the recent past.

According to Ibe, Atiku was also the first candidate to speak on the issue and had counselled that persons living around the most vulnerable areas on need to be temporarily evacuated following the alert by the meteorological agency that a further 24 states faced the risk of major flooding.

Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Obi flew into Yenagoa in a chopper and was received at the Government House before proceeding to the IDP camp at Ox-Bow Lake to identify with the over 4,000 men, women and children who are victims of the flooding. He was in the state to offer his sympathy and support to the state government and the victims of the ravaging flood.

While speaking at the IDP’s camp, Obi lamented the destruction and large numbers of out-of-school children that were now in the camps.

“I came in through the air and I saw the impact of the flood. I have been to other places, and I have never seen this kind of destruction. The Federal Government needs to declare an emergency in Bayelsa State. No State can cope with such a disaster on its own. I also appeal to the international community and donor agencies to support the affected states. Here in Bayelsa, we need help. This destruction is unimaginable.”

Governor Diri, who thanked the Presidential hopeful for his show of support, called on the Federal Government and other well-meaning organisations and individuals to join the State Government in providing succour to the flood victims.

“The people you see here are those whose houses, farmlands, and fish farms have all been occupied by flood and so 99% of Bayelsans are living as internally displaced persons. Thank God you flew and you have seen for yourselves how Bayelsans are living in inhumane conditions.

“While Mr. President has given us hope, I want to thank you for still joining me to call on the Federal Government to show more empathy, to show love to the people of Bayelsa state from where oil and gas flow in this country.”

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Environment and Chairman, Bayelsa State Flood Mitigation Committee, Mr. Iselema Gbaranbiri, said despite the present challenges, the state is committed to providing comfort for citizens who are at the various IDPs camps established to accommodate victims of the unprecedented flood.

He said the flood had so far ravaged over 300 communities and rendered 700,000 individuals, including children, women and the aged, homeless.

Gbaranbiri disclosed that more than 4,000 flood-displaced individuals were being camped at the Oxbow Lake camp alone, adding: “Whatever we are doing here, is being replicated at the Igbogene camp and other camps.”

“Medical services have been provided. We are providing food and we have our sanitation unit that is cleaning the camp daily. The government is passionate about the people and we have an obligation to stand for them in times of crises and challenges.”

The Environment Commissioner added that relief materials, including food items, have also been distributed while the second phase of distribution will soon take place, while mobile clinics are going around the state to attend to medical emergencies.  

He called on relevant federal agencies to come to the aid of the victims in order not to fester the feeling of neglect by the central government among the displaced persons.  

Also speaking, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information Orientation and Strategy, Ayibaina Duba, called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps at preventing future flooding by building dams and dredging the River Niger in order to contain whatever comes from the Cameroon dam whenever it occurs.

Duba appealed to residents of the flood-ravaged state to desist from building on water channels, stating that disregard for natural water channels contributed to the current flood situation in the state.

He also called on the populace to be conscious of the environment and ensure proper disposal of refuse, saying that most drainage systems in the state were discovered to have been blocked by refuse, including discarded plastic bottles and polythene bags.