The items included bags of rice, tins of groundnut oil, tin tomatoes, treated mosquito nets, mattresses and bags of beans. Others materials were bags of garri, printed wrappers, and indomie. There were also cartons of toothpaste, sanitary towels, evaporated milk, sacks of sugar among others.
The Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote while presenting the items explained that the donation was part of the Board’s efforts to impact their immediate environment. He said, “we have watched with uttermost dismay the devastation the flood has brought to Bayelsa and its environs. The Board being an agency of the Federal government with the headquarters in Bayelsa State is responsible and responsive to the plights of the community where it operates.”
He empathized with the victims and encouraged them to be resilient despite being thrown out of their homes temporarily by the natural disaster.
Wabote called on other agencies of government and private sector players to support the communities and the internally displaced persons.
He charged the community leaders and the State Emergency Management Authority (SEMA) to ensure judicious distribution of the donated materials to the affected victims, adding that the Board would monitor the exercise. He further advised the government to create and equip disaster centers where residents of the state can be relocated easily whenever such incidences occur.
Responding on behalf of the Bayelsa State Governor, Honorable Seriake Dickson, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ebipatel Apaingolo appreciated the Board for alleviating the plights of the persons and communities displaced by flood. He maintained that the State Government lacked the capacity to cater for all the displaced persons and called on other corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals to emulate the Board’s kind gesture and support the flood victims.
At the Igbogene camp for the internally displaced persons, the Coordinator, Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency, Rtd Col. Roland Yekorogha thanked the Executive Secretary for the Board’s support and assured that the items will be properly distributed to the displaced persons in the camp.
Receiving the items at Tombia village, the King of Tombia Ekpetiama, HRM C.A.O Otobotekere was represented by one of his cabinet members, Chief MJP Akanga.
He called on government and non-governmental organisations to assist in curbing the perennial flooding that ravages their community. He recommended channelization and shore protection of the River Nun that is close to the community.
Akanga appreciated the Board for being the first government agency to provide relief items to the community and called for more supports from other organizations and individuals.
The relief materials was distributed to flood victims in Amasoma Community, Tombia Ekpetiama, Igbogene, Okutukutu Community and Opokuma Clan.
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