Following the release of water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam into the Rivers Niger and Benue, the Delta State government has called on residents of low-land and flood-prone areas in the state to relocate to higher planes as the state government on Wednesday constituted a 14-man 2023 Flood Disaster Management Committee.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Festus Ahon, in a statement, yesterday, said the state government was concerned about the lives and property of citizens living in flood-prone areas.
He said: “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..“
He noted that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had approved the setting up of a 14-man Flood Disaster Management Committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu while Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Special Duties, Mr. Greg Ejowomu is to serve as Secretary.
Inaugurating the committee in Asaba, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, urged members to ensure the sensitization of citizens of the state, especially those living in coastal communities to move to higher grounds.
Emu charged the members to be diligent with the assignment as a lot depended on them to see that the actual flood victims were adequately catered for.
According to him, the committee was 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.
The SSG also noted that plans were on the way to set up camps in the flood-impacted areas of the state to accommodate those who may be affected by the impending flood.
“Already, Governor 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, IDPs, 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.”
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SOURCE: Vanguard
