The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has called on the authorities of Local Government Areas of flood affected communities in the South-South Geo-political Zone to relocate the residents to a safe higher ground.
Zonal Coordinator, Godwin Tepikor, who made the call during an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, stated that an assessment by the agency’s zonal office on the flood predicted areas revealed that several communities in the zone, including Akinfa, Amasoma, Ayama in Bayelsa State, and Anibucha, Okuzi, Aga, Ugede and Aniekpe in Rivers State have all been submerged by flood.
According to him, the flooding affected farmlands, fish ponds, pig farms, crops, sources of drinking water, including household property in the communities.
Tepikor said, “as we observed, the economic trees and sources of livelihood in the areas were affected, so it is expected that government at all levels should come together and ensure that they assist the people.
“On our part, the agency has put measures in place within the 36 states of the federation, so we expect the states in the flood predicted areas, especially in South-South and those communities that have started experiencing flooding to be on top of their activities to mitigate the impact of the flooding on the people,” he said.
Tepikor called on the authorities of all the local governments affected, to rise up to their responsibilities as the first responders to such an emergency to relocate the affected communities, and further mitigate the impact of the flood on the people.
In his words: “NEMA expects that the states involved should have been prepared by mapping out safe grounds in collaboration with NEMA for the affected communities and also preposition their relief supply to assist them.
“The Agency will continue to monitor the rising water level across the predicted states in the zone and also monitor their level of preparedness on the flooding as predicted by the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NISA)”.

By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu

The House On The Rock Church, in partnership with Army of David, The Heritable Foundation Partners 2022 Widows Outreach, has empowered 200 widows drawn from its surroundering communities with total starter packs valued at about N14 million.
The Director, Army of David, The House On The Rock Church, Mr Mike Olumide Johnson, said this at the empowerment programme in the church premises in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
Noting that all the widows will go home with at least an item, while others will go home with extra items via a raffle draw, Johnson said the items for the raffle draw, which include a mini bus, is aimed at improving the livelihood of the people.
“Over the years, we realised that woman like to do something. That is why we want to empower them, to keep them busy. It does not require much skills, so they can manage it”, he said.
The Pastor-in-Charge of Army of David, House on the Rock, Uche Onochie, said the gesture was in line with obedience to directives of the scriptures in the Bible which said widows are to be cared for.
“We don’t let them go. We have their data, we move from one community to the other. We also move from Local Government to Local Government. We take them to Christ not to church. We encourage them to go to Bible believing Churches. They are also free to be our members, if they wish”, he said.
The Senior Pastor of the Church, Lanre Oluseye, charged the people on the need to give back to the society via charity works.
He challenged others who are yet to embark on similar projects to look inward and reach out to other vulnerable people in the society to assist.
Describing Nigerians as the most resilient people on earth, he noted that since the country is where he is a First Class citizen, it will be of no benefit to believe in other countries where he will be addressed as a Second Class citizen.
One of the beneficiaries of the scheme, Mrs Victoria Monday, cautioned the beneficiaries against reselling of the items, saying they should “put it to proper use.”

By: King Onunwor

A state officer of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE), Comrade Maureen Kenneth Amadi, has commended aviation workers for protesting against planned ban of unionism by Federal Government at the nation’s Airports.
Amadi, who partook in the protest march recently at the Port Harcourt International Airport, said the workers will resist the move.
She urged airport workers to be on guard against any plan by government to deny them the right to associate with each other.
It would be recalled that aviation workers at the Port Harcourt International Airport recently protested against plans by the Federal Government to ban unionisation in the aviation industry.
The protesters, who were drawn from different unions in the industry, matched round the airport with placards.
Some of the placards read: “Minister of Aviation, stop playing games with workers”, “Our right to protest is covered under ILO convention”, and “Banning of workers from unionising is evil”.
Some of the workers accused the Minister of of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, of working hard to cage unionisation in the industry.
They alleged that the minister has sent a bill to the National Assembly with a clause to ban workers in the industry from belonging to labour unions.
They noted that the proposed law did not only breach their fundamental rights, but was also against international labour organisation convention.
Speaking with newsmen, Chairman of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association, Comrade Rasaq Animasaun, said the workers will resist every move by the federal government to cage them at the airport.
Animasaun said the workers will not allow the aviation industry to be like other sectors that are inefficient because of wrong government policies.
He said workers at the industry also have the right like their counterparts across the nation to belong to unions.
Also speaking, Chairman of Nigeria Association of Aviation professionals, comrade Akangha Emmanuel, urged the National Assembly to reject the bill.
He also urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to assent to the bill, if it is passed by the National Assembly, stressing that the situation will violate the right of workers in the industry to freely associate for their common good.
On his part, Chairman, National Union of Air Transport Employees, Federal Airport Authority (FAAN), Port Harcourt, Comrade Felix Ohwoefe, said the proposed bill has breached the fundamental rights of workers to form or belong to unions.
He said the protest was the first step in the series of actions that will be taken by the workers, stressing that more actions will be taken as the days go by, to ensure that the bill does not see the light of the day.
Comrade Maureen Kenneth Amadi said the union will use all legal means to resist any attempt to cage the rights of workers in the industry .

By: John Bibor