A retired Professor of Geology at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Enovie G. Akpokodje has called for the construction of permanent Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in flood ravaged areas of Rivers State.
Akpokodje, who said this in an interview with The Tide via telephone in Port Harcourt said since flooding has become a perennial problem, that, people living in flood prone areas need permanent camps.
“The solution presently lies in the provision of accommodation for the people.
“Government needs to find a higher ground where the people can move to in the event of any flooding,” he said.
He also stressed the need for relief materials such as food, clothing and others for those displaced by the flood.
“They need food and water. But I think that the permanent solution is to relocate the people to a higher ground.
The professor emeritus also advised farmers in flood prone areas of the state to always watch out and follow flood predictions with a view to commencing early harvesting of their crops to avoid being destroyed by water.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says, it is yet to take delivery of relief materials from its headquarters for onward distributions to flood affected areas in Rivers State.
South South zonal coordinator of the agency, Brandon Walson confirmed this in a telephone interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt.
Walson said applications for relief materials have been sent to all NEMA headquarters for relief materials.
“We are still expecting relief materials from our headquarters,” he said.
He also confirmed the gradual retreat of water from some of the communities.
Meanwhile, the Eze Igbu Ubie of Ubie kingdom of Ahoada West Local Government Area. HRM Eze Augustine Okpokiri says his people still face serious hardship despite the gradual retreating of the flood from the communities.
Eze Okpokiri said the people need support to get back to their normal ways of life.
He said the flood destroyed both houses and farmlands, stressing that majority of his people have lost their sources of livelihood to the flood.
Similarly, the secretary to the Omoku City Council of Chiefs, Chief Olowu Martins, said displaced persons in the area are yet to receive palliative from both government and non governmental agencies.
Chief Martins told The Tide in an interview that thousands of those who lost their houses to the flood are now living as refugees.
According to him, thousands of persons were rendered homeless in the entire Usomini Clan, stressing that the people need support to go back to their communities.