By Austin Ogwuda
Delta State Government has called on residents in low-land and flood-prone areas to relocate to higher planes to avoid impending disaster following the release of water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam into the Rivers Niger and Benue.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon in a statement in Asaba, Wednesday, stated that the State Government is very much concerned about the lives and property of all citizens including those living in flood-prone areas across the State.
He made it clear that the need for immediate relocation has become necessary following the earlier warnings from the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA.
Ahon said that a 14-man Flood Disaster Management Committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, to mitigate the challenges expected by the impending flood has been put in place.
He said the Committee is saddled with the responsibility of carrying out aggressive sensitization of citizens on the impending flood and to propose appropriate measures for the prevention and management of flooding, addressing the displacement of people and to suggest ways for the provision of relieve materials to victims.
According to the statement “the Delta State Government has been informed that the authorities of Lagdo Dam in Cameroon would be releasing modulated amounts of water into the River Benue and River Niger due to flooding caused by torrential rainfall.
“The Delta State Government will provide support to those displaced from their homes by the rising water level occasioned by the overflow of the River Benue and River Niger.
“Already His Excellency, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has approved the setting up of Flood Disaster Management Committee to ensure that persons displaced from their homes as a result of the impending flood are adequately catered for at various Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps nearest to them.
“We are therefore calling on affected citizens to call the following numbers- 08064137841 and 08037200696 -for government intervention in the case of flooding,” the statement added.
Members of the Disaster Management team headed by the Secretary to the State Government SSG are, Hon. Ejiro Terry, Commissioner for Special Duties as Co- Chairman, Mr Jamani Ejiro, Commissioner for Environment, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, Commissioner for Health, Dr Kingsley Ashibuogwu, Commissioner for Primary Education, Mrs Rose Ezewu, Commissioner for Secondary Education, and Orode Uduaghan, Commissioner Humanitarian Affairs, Social and Girl Child Development.
Other members include Barr. Funyei Manager, Commissioner, Special Projects, Hon. Victor Ebonka, Chairman, ALGON, Chief Jaro Egbo, Special Adviser, Transport, Barr. Lyna Ocholor, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Karo Ovemeso, Executive Secretary SEMA, Sir. Festus Ahon, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and Mr. Greg Ejowomu, Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Special Duties.
