Rivers distributes relief materials to flood victims

Rivers State Government has distributed relief materials to people affected by floods in the Orashi region and other local government areas.

Communities in the Orashi region including Abual odual, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ahoada West, and Ahoada East Local Government Areas of the state have been displaced by floods with the roads, farmlands, houses, and business areas covered with water.

Also, some communities in Oyigbo Local Government, like Umuodina, Umobiri, Umuokwito, Umuokobo, and Umuwari, are experiencing flooding.

Some residents in Rumuekini in Obio-Akpor, Eneka, and Rukpoku were also affected by floods.

Rivers State Flood Prevention and Management Committee, set up by the State government and chaired by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, confirmed that the committee has moved into the affected communities, distributing relief materials such as mattresses, wrappers, yam, noodles, rice, Garri and cooking oil to the affected victims.

According to Prof Odu, who spoke in Port Harcourt, when the committee was about moving trucks of relief materials to some councils in the Orashi region, the flood victims received the materials directly from the committee through the Council chairmen.

She said this followed complaints of diversion of relief materials in previous years.

She acknowledged the inadequacy of Internally Displaced Persons camps (IDPs) in some flood-ravaged areas but stated that the government was intensifying efforts to set up more camps.

Prof. Odu noted that tackling flooding is a ‘tripartite’ work where the Federal, State, and Local governments work in synergy to address the challenges.

She noted that the local government chairmen in the State have been tasked to take responsibility by clearing the drainages, sensitization, and others.

The Deputy Governor noted that the government is concerned about the plight of the people, assuring that the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara cares and is committed to improving the living conditions of the people.

She disclosed that the committee has plans for post-flood interventions including the health component, agriculture, and financial support to help flood victims bounce back to good life.