BAYELSA, FG PLEDGE SUCCOUR TO FLOOD DEVASTATED COMMUNITIES

BAYELSA, FG PLEDGE SUCCOUR TO FLOOD DEVASTATED COMMUNITIES
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has led a high powered delegation including members of the Presidential Committee on Assessment of Flood Disaster Affected Areas comprising Ministers of Environment, Professor Hadiza Mailfia, Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochepke, Minister of State for Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda for on the spot assessment of communities ravaged by flood in the state.
Also on the entourage of the Ministers were the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi and Permanent Secretary, National Ecological Fund.The delegation visited Sagbama, headquarters of Sagbama Local Government Area of the state where Governor Dickson and leader of the Presidential Committee on Assessment of Flood Disaster Affected Areas, Professor Hadiza Mailafia addressed the people.
The Governor who spoke in his mother tongue expressed concern over the disaster occasioned by the flood and urged the people to remain calm as government was doing everything within its powers to ameliorate their plight. According to him, government has already given directive for the distribution of relief materials and provision of tents to accommodate people displaced by the flood.
Hon. Dickson assured that more relief materials will come their way noting that government would liaise with the relevant authorities on the release of the ecological fund set aside to address the twin problems of flood and erosion in the state. In her remarks, Leader of the Committee and Minister for Environment, Professor Hadiza Mailafia said the team was in Bayelsa State to have first hand information on the situation of the flood and assured that the Federal Government would take appropriate steps to mitigate the challenge posed by the flood.
Describing the flood as an unprecedented national disaster, Professor Mailafia stated that about 22 states have been affected by the flood.In his remarks, Chairman of the Sagbama Local Government Council, Mr. Tony Ogola lamented that communities in the area were being threatened by the flood as some communities have been submerged in water, stressing the situation was getting worse by the day. 
Daniel Iworiso-Markson                           
Chief Press Secretary  to the Governor of Bayelsa State