Brass—A traditional ruler, HRH Samuel Sambo, has advised government at all levels to take early steps to prevent or mitigate the effects of the impending flood in the state.
This is after the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) listed Bayelsa as one of the states in danger of flooding in its yearly flood alert.
The agency during an emergency technical meeting on the flooding situation in Nigeria last month said states like Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Cross River, Rivers, Taraba, Benue, etc are at risk of flooding based on the release of excess water from the reservoir of the Lagdo dam in Cameroon.
Sambo in a statement on Friday noted that given the severity of the situation, the government should move quickly to avert the impending disaster that would be occasioned by the flood.
The paramount ruler of Sambo-Ama in Twon Brass kingdom of Bayelsa State insisted that although flooding is not a new occurrence, there is an urgent need to match the early warning with commensurate action.
According to the monarch, it is now imperative specifically for the Bayelsa state government to identify and evacuate people from communities at risk of flooding to safer areas as well as stockpile adequate food and other relief materials for the hygiene, security and comfort of the people during this period.
“The state government also needs to embark on a sensitization tour to alert Bayelsans about the imminent flood and the need to more than ever clear up water channels and drainages within communities to aid the smooth passage of water and eventually downscale the expected flood,” he stated.
The royal father called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other relevant bodies to liaise with leaders of frontline communities to avert the danger posed by the flood as well as provide search and rescue equipment like inflatable boats for emergencies.
He, however, lauded the Bayelsa state government for “tweaking the state school calendar in a way that schools would be out of session during the flood season to ensure that our children are not affected.”
According to NEMA, more than 100,000 persons have so far been displaced in the country as a result of flooding with 500,000 persons already affected.
