Omiete Joseph
The Rivers State Government said it is deeply concerned about the welfare of the various communities in the State, especially as flood continuous to rave communities.
Rivers State Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Rivers State Flood Prevention and Management Committee, Prof Ngozi Odu, stated this during the sensitisation of Orashi Region on Flood Prevention and Management at the Faculty of Humanities, Rivers State University Ahoada campus, Tuesday.
Prof Odu noted that the State Government was desirous to tackle the critical issues of recurring floods occasioned by dam releases upstream and the overflow of rivers.
She stressed that the Orashi Region is the Epicenter of the Flood challenge in the State.
The deputy governor disclosed that the Flood Management Committee oversees about 18 Local Government Areas identified by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency(NIMET) that are prone to flooding the Orashi Region, comprising Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Abua Odual, and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas, stressing that when the floods hit, it hits hardest there.
According to Odu, addressing the most critical area first is tantamount to treating the heart of the problem, adding to manage the flood in the Orashi region, the committee would be better equipped to handle it in other areas.
She said while the cause of floods may be distant response must be local and united.
“Our elders in the Orashi Region possess invaluable knowledge about past floods and coping strategies, we need to combine this traditional wisdom with our modern approaches, so I urge everyone young and old across all four LGAs to get involved.”
The deputy governor expressed gratitude to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the Federal Government for their timely intervention.
Earlier, the representative of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Chidi Ogundu, commended the State government for taking proactive measures towards mitigating flood disasters in the State.
He called on affected communities to begin to identify higher and safer grounds to move into and set up Community Response Plan.
In his keynote address, Prof Kingsley Nwoabidi said early warning signs remain one of the key ways to mitigate flood situations, stressing that “you must be able to generate and disseminate timely and meaningful information that”, according to him is part of disaster risk management.
Also speaking, Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Chibudom Ezu, expressed gratitude to the governor for the timely intervention in tackling the challenges of flooding in the area, by setting up the prevention and management committee, an action which according to him shows that the Governor identifies with the challenges of his people.