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