Flood: RVHA Calls For Post-Impact Study

Following the receding of flood and the closure of various camps, Rivers State House of Assembly has directed the Ministry of Environment to conduct post impact studies on the flooding that ravaged some parts of the state.

The Assembly gave the directive after a robust debate on the report of the House joint committee on Environment and Social Welfare/Rehabilitation on flooding in the state presented by Hon. Victoria Nyeche at Tuesday’s plenary session.

The House unanimously resolved that the post flood study was important to guide future occurrence, adding that the Ministry of Water Resources was thus directed to liaise with the local government councils to provide water plants and rehabilitate existing ones in the flood affected communities.

The lawmakers accepted the recommendations of the committee that the executive set up a post flood impact committee, which should also include chairmen of the affected local government councils and Hon. Members representing the flood devastated constituencies.

Similarly, the House also directed the Ministry of Environment to immediately commence the fumigation of all the affected communities that suffered especially where the flood has dried up, in order to check the scourge of reptiles, mosquitoes and other insects inimical to the body system before the victims go back to their homes.

Announcing the rejection of the committee’s recommendation to invite the commissioner for Environment for failing to appear before the committee after several efforts, the Speaker, Rt Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree warned the Environment Commissioner and other commissioners who do not honour House committee invitations to stop forth with.

Rt. Hon. Amachree warned that the incident should serve as last warning to all the commissioners as the House will not tolerate any failure to honour House committee invitations because every committee has the weight of the entire House.

The speaker directed the clerk to convene the resolution of the House to the relevant authorities for necessary action even as it rejected the suggestion to summon the members of the state flood committee to brief the House on how their assignment was carried out.

Meanwhile, the House committee found out that the flood affected the entire Oru-Sangama and parts of Elem-Sangama communities, about 15 nautical miles from Soku Gas Plant in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, noting that apart from the donation of relief materials from Hon. Dawari George and Hon. Benibo Anabraba.

Legislators representing the constituency, relief materials from the state government did not get to the two communities.

The committee, however, commended individuals, corporate bodies, and groups for identifying with the plight of the flood victims noting that government alone could not have successfully handled the devastation caused by the flood and the resettlement of persons back to normal life.