Douye Diri, the Governor of Bayelsa State, has expressed regret for the loss of property and the hardship experienced by residents due to flooding.
He reiterated his appeal for the building of a dam around the River Niger and urged the federal government to assist the state because the current situation was beyond the capabilities of the state administration.
According to a statement from his chief press secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri assessed the flood situation in various communities on the spot on Thursday and deemed it to be extremely bad.
Along with other senior government officials, the Governor was accompanied by Solomon Agwana, the PDP’s state chairman, Eselema Gbaranbiri, the commissioner for the environment and the leader of the Task Force on Flood Mitigation and Management, Moses Teibowei, and the PDP’s commissioner for works and information.
He visited the communities of Odi and Kaiama in the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, as well as Tungbo, Sagbama Town, and Adagbabiri in the Sagbama Local Government Area.
Diri said he wanted to learn firsthand about the struggles the people and the villages were facing as he spoke to them in the Izon dialect.
Even while he realized that it was a tough time for everyone, he urged them not to give up.
In addition to giving monetary presents to the afflicted towns, Diri told them that the task force on flooding would quickly deliver them with relief supplies.
He urged the people of Bayelsa to help one another out and provide for victims as their houses and towns were being sacked.
The Governor said, “Roads have been overtaken by flood, houses submerged and the people are now internally displaced. We have sought out some high grounds where some of them will be resettled temporarily. We have also made palliative and medicines available.
“I came out in order to comfort the people so that they will know that their government stands with them in their time of trouble.
“Water has no respect for anybody as my house is also flooded in my community. So, everybody should be strong and careful during this period, particularly women. Your children should not go into the water. It is a very tempting period, but I know God will see us through.
“I have approved N450 million to provide succour for the people, which is the first tranche. Having seen things for myself, we will approve more money so our people can have something to eat while they go through this experience.”
A long-term solution to the recurring flooding that affects the residents along river lines was also mentioned by Diri as something he would think about calling state governors from low-lying regions of the nation to discuss.
Salo Adikumo, a member of Sagbama Constituency 3 in the House of Assembly, the Amananaowei of the Sagbama community, and Mr. Oyinke Ekiye, chairman of the Adagbabiri Community Development Committee, all expressed their sincere gratitude to the Governor for his generosity towards them in separate responses.
