Rivers council boss laments as flood ravages three communities

• Wife of the senatorial candidate, council chairman rally support for victims in Kogi
• IYC accuses Buhari, FG of abandoning River, Bayelsa
• NECA seeks government’s support on businesses

The Chairman of Emohua Council of Rivers State, Chidi Lloyd, has raised the alarm as persistent flood ravages three communities in Rumuekpe, making it the fifth council to be overtaken by water.

Lloyd bemoaned the intense hardship faced by the people since Nmogu village, in Rumuekpe, was overtaken by floodwater, submerging over 20 houses, including three other villages that make up the community.

Lloyd noted that the floodwater is a spillover from Obele, a neighbouring community in Ahoada East Council, which has been under water for weeks.

He said: “Nmogu Community in Rumuekpe, which shares the border with Obele Community in Ahoada East, is submerged.

“The flood is moving towards the community. Three out of six communities are already experiencing flooding.
Similarly, the wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Kogi West Senatorial District, Mrs. Stella Karimi, and the Executive Chairman of Lokoja Council, Muhammed Dansabe, have added their voices to the growing calls on well-meaning Nigerians to assist flood victims in Kogi State.

The duo spoke separately on Monday, while visiting victims in Adankolo, Lokoja, and Koton-Karfe, to present relief materials.

Karimi noted that the level of devastation in the area is enormous such that the state government alone would not be able to provide for everybody affected by the flood.

ALSO, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has flayed the silence of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government over the ravaging floods in the Niger Delta region, especially Rivers and Bayelsa states.

IYC President, Peter Igbifa, said over 85 per cent of the entire Bayelsa has been under water with about 100 deaths recorded in the last two weeks.

He demanded the deployment of the presidential fleet to the state to rescue trapped victims, and also the deployment of measures to mitigate the damage done by the flood.

MEANWHILE, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has called on relevant ministries and agencies of government to rally around and support businesses and citizens in ameliorating losses incurred.

Director General of NECA, Adewale Oyerinde, said urgent support of businesses and citizens at this time is critical, even as the government is designing policies, which would address climate change effects to meet the 2050 United Nations (UN) declaration on global warming.

Noting that Nigeria had been more focused on post-flood disaster response than control, Oyerinde said reducing and addressing exposure to flood risk should now be a national priority in the government’s disaster risk management agenda.