Flood: Lawmaker Warns Against Disease Outbreak

Member, Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), representing Etsako Central Constituency, Mr Damian Lawani, has warned against possible outbreak of disease in the communities affected by flood in the state.
The lawmaker gave the warning in Benin on Tuesday, while speaking on the flood that affected four communities of Osomegbe, Oghomere, Anegbete, Ofukpo and Udaba in Etsako Central Local Government Area.
Lawani said the flood that had rendered many homeless and destroyed hundreds of hectares of farmland, also affected the communities source of drinking water.
He appealed to the National Emergency and Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency and Management Agency (SEMA) to urgently come to the assistance of the affected communities.
The lawmaker also appealed to the interventionist agencies to urgently deploy health workers and drugs to the area.
Sources said that these communities were affected by the flood as a result of the over flow of River Niger.
According to Lawani, the affected communities are expecting so much from the government because it is something that the state government cannot take care alone.
“It calls for a comprehensive approach from both the federal, state and local governments.
“In 2012, when the same flood occurred, government immediately came in with lots of relief materials, but this year, we don’t know what is happening.
“We have held meeting with the governor to ensure that something urgent is done.
“We are collating statistics to know the exact number of affected persons. This has been delayed because we are waiting for the water level to recede in the affected areas,” the lawmaker said.
One of the affected victims, Mrs Veronica Egbadu, a widow lamented the loss of her property to the flood, saying that she has since depended on assistance of neighbours.
The Acting Chairman of the Local Government, Mr Sunday Eshiesimua, said the council had commenced the distribution of drugs to the affected communities.
He called on both the State and Federal Governments to come to the aid of the victims.