The former Federal Commissioner, and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, elderstatesman Edwin Clark has condemned the Federal Government’s nonchalant approach to the plight of flood victims in the Niger Delta.
The elderstatesman in a statement on Sunday, entitled the “Deplorable Conditions of Flood Victims: Need For Federal Government To Act Fast, Not To Abandon The Niger Delta,” said the victims who have no place to go, have resorted to some crude accommodation of pinning sticks inside the water, with a platform which they used as bed made up of cellophane bags.
Clark said it’s unfortunate that the Federal Government’s does not seem to have the expected reaction to the plight of the citizens in the Niger Delta.
According to him, there is humanitarian crisis in Bayelsa State case, where most communities of the State, including the greater part of Yenagoa, the State Capital, are under water.
He stated that there was starvation in the area with no clean water for the people to drink.
According to him, the State is cut off from all sources food and electricity supply.
Clark lamented that the people now live in their homes with dangerous reptiles and other animals displaced from their habitats by the flood.
He accused the Federal Government of failure to reduce the plight and suffering of the people.
He said, “The State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri, was on the news on Saturday, 15th October, 2022, visiting some of the affected communities.
“In his speech, while addressing the victims, the Governor stated that the Federal Government has not sent a kobo, nor any relief materials to the State.
“The Governor of Rivers State, Ezenwon Nyesom Wike, also made similar statement a few days ago, when he made some donation to the flood victims in Rivers State.
“The country has Ministries and agencies that are supposed to act in such cases, and act fast, because these are emergencies.
“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, whose mandate is to “ensure strategic disaster mitigation, preparedness and response,” has not been to the Niger Delta; has not even sent any relief materials to them.
“But the Ministry on Saturday, “donated food items to vulnerable and displaced persons as a result of banditry in Sokoto State.
“While this is quite commendable, the same gesture should, please, urgently and speedily be extended to the States of the Niger Delta, and other places, which are being ravaged by flood.” He stated.
Clark sympathized with the flood victims, who were displaced and trumatised by the natural disaster even as he prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead.
“Firstly, my heart goes out to all the people whose homes and communities are being ravaged by the devastating floods; my commiseration to those who lost their loved ones, properties, etc.
“The flood of this year, 2022, is said to be worse than that of the year 2012. Even in 2012, I recall that it was so bad that I embarked on a visit to some of the flood ravaged communities, both in Bayelsa and Delta States, with some relief materials, for the flood victims, to encourage them.
“Because at such times, whatever is donated to these victims goes a long way, to bringing some sort of succour. Now, due to age and its attendant issues, I feel bad that I am not in a position to visit, or send relief materials.
“Unfortunately, the Federal Government seem to be nonchalant over the plight of the citizens in the Niger Delta.
“For instance, in Bayelsa State, there is a palpable case of humanitarian crisis. Most communities of the State, including the major parts of Yenagoa, the State Capital, are under water.
“The people of the State, who do not have where to go to, have resorted to some crude accommodation of pinning sticks inside the water, with a platform which they use as bed, made up of cellophane bags.
“There is starvation in the land, no water for the people to drink; the State is cut off from all sources that supply food to her, even electricity supply, has been cut off.
“The people now live in their homes with reptiles and other animals, whether aquatic, terrestrial or amphibian, which now drag spaces with humans in their homes, because these animals have also been displaced from their natural habitation because of the flood.
“It is a scary situation, as this exposes the people to danger. The Federal Government has not done anything to reduce the plight and suffering of the people.” He stated.
He charged the Ministries and agencies that are supposed to act in such cases, to act fast, because these are emergencies.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, whose mandate was to “ensure strategic disaster mitigation, preparedness and response,” has not been to the Niger Delta; and has not even sent any relief materials to them.
“But the Ministry on Saturday, “donated food items to vulnerable and displaced persons as a result of banditry in Sokoto State.”
“While this is quite commendable, the same gesture should, please, urgently and speedily be extended to the States of the Niger Delta, and other places, which are being ravaged by flood.
“In this case, it is not only food stuff that is needed, but water, medical and other essentials are urgently needed. Because the Ministry’s mandate also includes “implementation of fair, focused, social inclusion and protection programmes in Nigeria.”
“In addition, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), established to handle disaster management, has not also visited the flood victims in the States of the Niger Delta.
“Commendably, the Director General of NEMA on Wednesday, 12th October, 2022, speaking at an event to mark 2022 International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction, stated that Mr. President “has approved 12,000 metric tons of grains for victims of flood across the country.”
“Have these materials been distributed, if so, where have they been distributed to? Who received them? Or are the Governors of the Niger Delta States raising false alarm?
“Because, it is money gotten from the region, that is used to purchase these relief materials. I hope, tomorrow, the Ministry and NEMA will not say they spent billions of naira in providing relief materials for flood victims, which nobody saw or received.” He added.
According to Clark, one would have even expected that 10 years after the last flood disaster that ravaged the country in 2012, a responsible government, which swore to an oath, to see to the welfare of the people, would by have taken steps to alleviate the sufferings, by building a dam in Benue State, instead of blaming Cameroonian Government.
“This attitude of not caring, reminds me of what happened some time ago. Billions of naira were voted to dredge the River Niger, during the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) days, but today, there is no sign of dredging in Bayelsa and Delta States.
“I was at the forefront, as leader of my people, to carry out an impact assessment of the area, before such dredging can be done. But none of the two earmarked dredging, was done.
“In fact, a dredging of the Warri River to Escravos was carried out, on the Escravos side, has also stopped. As a result of not carrying out this project, presently, ships can no longer come to Warri.
“We are told that there is a pipeline on the bed of the sea, that hinders the dredging operation.
“For several years, there has been on-going talks between the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which has not yielded any results. Meanwhile, ships cannot berth at Warri Sea Port.
“Both the immediate past government of the federation, and the present one, should be held responsible for the attitude they took on this matter.
“I challenge the Muhammadu Buhari’s government to name any development it has carried out in the Niger Delta region, with exception of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State.
“Today, the construction of the East-West Road, which began over ten years ago, to the embarrassment and shame of all of us, has not been completed. The road is being threatened.
“People cannot pass a section of it easily, either to go to Port Harcourt or return, from Bayelsa State, due to the ravaging flood.” He stated.