UN To Assist Bayelsa On Flood Control

The United Nations has expressed its readiness to partner with the Bayelsa State Government on flood management and other related environmental issues in order to mitigate flood predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

Expressing concern over the devastating effects of 2012 flooding on the people of the State. The United Nations under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Baroness Valerie Amos during her two days working visit to the State at the weekend stressed the need for prompt response to flood victims.

Amos who was accompanied by some top UN functionaries said she was in the State to assess the situation and see how her office can be of assistance to the affected people.

In her words, “I am here in Bayelsa to see for myself the impact of the devastating flood of last year.

“I have had the opportunity to talk to the ordinary people and The Post Flood Management and Response Committee on the efforts they made in the provision of food, shelter and other relief materials.”

She said there were lessons to be learnt and her office would like to partner  and support the State Government and federal authorities  in strengthening ways which the UN can assist with technical support.

The UN envoy noted that the world body was willing to collaborate with State to identify technical expertise to support the people in the event of a recurrence of the flood.

“I am aware that funds are infrastructure but that is not within my powers in the United Nations, but I have undertaken to work with the State to see if we can identify areas were funding maybe available,” she said.

In his remarks, Governor Seriake Dickson lamented the impact of last year’s flood stating that the total cost of the devastation ran into hundreds of billions of naira.

He described Bayelsa as an ecologically endangered State as it was below sea level and called for support of the UN and other donor agencies especially in the area of funding and technical expertise.

According to the governor, “all our communities were actually turned to relief camps and so there was need for us to create awareness and step up advocacy not just for purpose of asking for support for the victims, but also to enable us get across to partners.”

On proactive measures being taken by the government, Hon Dickson said that a technical team headed by the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Lawrence Ewrudjakpor has been constituted to among other things open up the natural courses of water in Yenagoa metropolis.

Alerting the people on the impending flood as predicted by NIMET, the Governor stated, “you are all aware of the grim warnings by NIMET, but while we keep praying we also need to step up our preparation “Clearly, the challenge of lasting solution to this problem is certainly beyond the capacity of the State and even the Federal Government, so it is important that we collaborate to raise funds,” he said.