Flood disaster: Bayelsa Govt. gives workers 7-day break

Worried by the flood-induced hardships being experienced by the people, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has given civil servants a one- week stay-at-home order.

The holiday is to enable state workers to attend to the impact of the flood as it affected their families.

Diri, in a broadcast on Tuesday,  disclosed that the flood had affected nearly a million people in over 300 communities in the state, adding that some have been internally displaced while some deaths have been reported.

According to the governor, the state-owned Niger Delta University in Amassoma, the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital in Okolobiri, and the University of Africa in Toru-Orua, among other important facilities, have been submerged.

He described the state as currently isolated from the rest of the country, adding that the people are also facing humanitarian crisis with food, medical provisions and energy now in short supply.

Diri appealed to President Mohammadu Buhari to consider special grants to the state from the Stabilization Fund, Ecological Fund and Natural Resources Fund.

His said: “Over the last few days, floods have overwhelmed our communities and severely impacted the lives and livelihood of our people. This is a natural disaster that has affected many other states of the Federation to various degrees.

“I have been on a tour of several of our communities to see at first hand the extent of destruction. Our experience has shown that the flood water empties into our State.

“From my personal assessment, the situation is dire. Nearly a million people in over 300 communities in the State, have been internally displaced. Unfortunately, some deaths have been reported.

“The narrative is the same across Sagbama, Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Ogbia, Yenagoa, Nembe and Kolokuma Opokuma Local Government Areas.

“Businesses have been shut, properties lost and farm lands destroyed. We have a humanitarian crisis. Critical infrastructure like hospitals, roads, bridges and schools, including the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma, the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, and the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, have been severely affected.

“As I make this address, Bayelsa State is completely severed from the rest of the country as portions of the strategic East-West Road, the sole access to and from the state, between Ughelli and Patani in Delta State as well as Okogbe and Ahoada in Rivers State have collapsed with a high volume of flood water occupying the stretch.

“Economic hardship has set in, as food, medical provisions and energy are now in short supply. The situation is desperate and getting worse.

“I wish to on behalf of the people of Bayelsa, sincerely thank Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, for his kind directive to the different federal agencies to come to assist the state. I urge them to comply with this presidential directive expeditiously.

“Without exaggeration, the sheer scale of the devastation is not such that the state can handle on its own. We urgently solicit the support of Multinationals, International Donor Agencies, the Red Cross, Diplomatic Missions and people of goodwill to come to the aid of our state.

“I appeal to Mr. President to consider special grants to the state from the Stabilization Funds, Ecological Funds and Natural Resources Fund. My dear people of Bayelsa State, I know these are indeed trying times and you have my assurance that I will stand with you through every step of the recovery process.”

Diri said the State Task Force on Flood Mitigation and Management in partnership with the State Emergency Management Agency had established IDP camps and provided relief materials for victims of the flood.

He said: “I have also directed that the distribution of these relief materials should be done in a non-partisan manner. We are all first and foremost Bayelsans.

“I hereby direct all Public Servants except those on essential duties to be given time off from work for the next one week.

“Let me make a special appeal to vendors, particularly of fuel, food, water and pharmaceuticals not to exploit the situation. We must be our brothers’ keeper.”