Mr Juan Governor, Chairman Ndokwa East Local Government Area Council in Delta, has given assurance that necessary assistance would be provided to persons displaced by flood, especially those in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.
He gave the assurance in a statement made available to our correspondent on Tuesday in Abuja.
Governor said that the council had concluded plans for the cleaning of all public facilities in flooded communities in the locality, adding that the floods which displaced about 10,611 persons had started receding slowly.
He disclosed that areas still covered by the flood would be addressed as soon as the water recedes further within the month to enable safe commuting back to the various flooded communities.
He added that the council was working with key stakeholders to facilitate the availability of initial starter pack like foodstuff, grains, protein, yams, toiletries, Mosquito nets and other provisions to flood victims in the area.
According to him, the council is poised to aggressively put more proactive programmes in place that could lead to better management of the risks associated with flooding going forward.
“Though flooding in our locality is an annual problem, the council is not unmindful that its adverse impacts could be mitigated through effective management.
“Therefore, our post flood programme strategy would continue to focus on partnering with the various community leaders to enhance proper delivery of listed post flood services.
“We will also engage various community stakeholders to assist the council bring flood ridden facilities back to manageable status,”
Governor said.
This, he said, was to ensure that the various communities took full ownership of whatever post flood activities the council would be providing across the 10 wards in the council.
The council boss also said that the receding flood would now reveal another risk exposure to those already displaced by the flood and presently in various IDPs camps across the locality.
“But that also revealed another risk exposure to our IDPs who have been out of their various communities for over one month.
“The risk exposure involves the difficulties that will be faced as they prepare to go back home,”
He said.
He explained that due to the receding waters, the IDPs were now faced with logistic challenges as most roads were badly damaged or cut off by the flood.
He said water channels in some areas were now exposed to more risk because boats could not get to villages that were off water channel routes but were relocated via water while the floods were high.
According to Governor, people in such areas are going to face more hardship as most of them may need to trek through long distances to get home.
He said others may have to take motor bikes home at very high cost resulting from the current high cost of fuel which had affected every aspect of life.
“In the same vein, residence of communities along the water channels have suffered significant landslides and getting back via the steep shores has its own challenges and risk exposures.
“Beside this, boats anchors may be far from most communities; a situation which will also require trekking through challenging footpaths to get home safely.
“On the basis of the above, the Ndokwa East LGA Flood Management Committee is on its toes to monitor these highlighted challenges.
“The committee is to come up with community specific risk exposures and mitigating measures to enable the council proffer necessary assistance to assist the IDPs in returning to their homes in all our communities,”
he said.
The council chairman said IPDs in Ashaka, Ibrede, Kwale, Aboh, Igbuku, Oleh and Ozoro were tired of remaining in the camps as they yearn to go back to their homes.
He encouraged them to be patient until the council engages the various camp managers to address their concerns.
These concerns according to him included environmental sanitation and fumigation of public facilities such as health and educational facilities, town halls, markets and churches among others.
“Barring any unforeseen changes, the exercise will commence as soon as the roads are given the necessary quick fixes and the water channels becomes accessible,”
He said.
He added that in the coming weeks, the council would focus on fixing the Ashaka – Kwale road, Ashaka – Aboh road, Ashaka – Arhade road, Ase road, and Asab – Ase road.
Governor further added that roads in the seven Ibrede, Igbuku and Onuogbokor Clans, Aboh – Akarai Iselegu – Inyi and Onuabor road, Oko through Utchi clans down to Okpai and Obiikwele would also be fixed among others.
“In the same manner, the council has concluded plans to procure farm starter items like cassava stems, stalks, yam seedlings, grains, fishing nets and accessories.
“We also intend to procure farm tools, herbicides and fertilisers, though this will be implemented in the next planting season probably sometimes in December 2022 through February 2023.”
This, he said, was to enable the IDPs to cater for their various families no matter how small before they got back to normal life.
“These efforts will not exclude our displaced school children who will be writing the same exams with their counterparts in none flooded communities across the nation.
“The council is therefore working with our LGA Education Secretary to put recovery plans in place to aid the school children in meeting up with lost lessons and studies.
“We are also giving our health centres urgent attention because the pressure on the centres will increase as a result of post flood health management demands,”
The chairman said.
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