Residents of Bayelsa State especially those living in the coastal communities have been advised to take immediate steps to avert what they experienced during last year’s flood.

This became imperative because of the 2013 Nigeria Meteorological Agency weather forecast of another flooding and stressed the need for the people of the state to take precautionary measures to prevent  recurrence of the 2012 ugly experience.

The Bayelsa State governor, Hon.Seriake Dickson gave the advice during a meeting he had with various committees in charge of flood management in the state.

The NIMET in its forecast, predicted heavy rains this year higher than the one experienced last year which rendered some families in some states of the Federation including Bayelsa State homeless while farmlands were washed away.

Disturbed by this trend and in order to avert a recurrence of such experience despite the prediction of the Meteorological Agency, Hon. Dickson met with the leaders and members of relevant committees including Post Flood Management Committee and Infrastructure Advisory Committee set up in the wake of the crisis to nip in the bud the likely occurrence of such incident in the state.

Urging the committees represented at the meeting to carry out more technical assessment to identify the flood level, the Governor said this would assist his administration in ascertaining the foundation of its public infrastructure.

On the need for the interaction, the Governor said, ‘we are here this afternoon to discuss the subject matter that is of interest to the people of our state. We are all aware of the devastating effects of the flood last year on our state and we have reason as a result of the magnitude of the damage and destruction that we suffered to set up a committee of our very best hands to come up with ways and means of effectively managing the aftermath of the flood in several ways.

“I am aware that the committee has swung into action. Let me on behalf of a grateful state government thank its chairman and members of the post flood management committee for their sacrifices and contributions.”

“I summon this meeting firstly to have a report of how far the two committees have gone and their work plan. We have cause to summon this meeting based on the weather forecast for 2013 and knowing what we suffered in this state last year when we were notified about the weather forecast by NIMET.”

“The forecast reveals that the rain fall projection by this year will be higher than that of last year with the likelihood of flood, I got very worried as your Governor, and this is the reason why we gather here to see that we do everything possible to prevent a recurrence of last year’s flooding that ravaged the entire state.

It has already started raining and that is worrisome. You are aware that the entire state has been turned into construction sites. We are not through yet. We are very worried with the weather forecast this year.”

In their separate remarks, the chairmen of the two affected committees, Engr. Charles Dorgu and Chief Francis Doukpola said the committees embarked on extensive tour of 95% of communities across the state, noting that both public and private properties were destroyed by the flood.

According to Chief Doukpola, a minimum of 20 billion naira is required to solve flooding problems in the state and stressed the need for government to supply more relief materials such as food and cement to affected communities, adding that all mud houses were destroyed.

Engr. Dorgu who urged contractors currently handling road expansion jobs in the state capital to open up the water courses, also recommended that dykes be built to protect the roads from flooding.