The apex sociocultural organisation of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has called on the Federal and State Governments, as well as well meaning Nigerians and organisations to urgently provide relief materials and other forms of assistance to flood victims, including those in and outside displaced persons camps in the Ijaw nation, to ameliorate their sufferings.
INC, in a statement by its President, Prof Benjamin Okaba, on behalf of the National Executive Council of the body, advised the Federal Government and the relevant authorities to find a lasting solution to the reoccurring disaster that had claimed many lives and property worth billions of naira.
While advocating the construction of dams in the country to contain flood waters discharged from the Cameroon dam, INC, in the statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Engr Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, urged the Federal and State Governments not to wait for the flood to recede before sending relief materials to the flood victims as this was the most appropriate time the materials would be meaningful to the victims.
The foremost Ijaw group noted that the Ijaw people suffered the most from the ravaging and devastating flood because of the topography of most Ijaw communities which dwelt below the sea level, pointing out that the ravaging flood had submerged all the communities in Bayelsa state, and the Ijaw communities in Rivers, Delta, Edo and Ondo states.
INC regretted that the floods had ravaged ancestral homes, private residences, properties, farmlands, the farm produce, valuables and means of livelihood of thousands of people, some of whom had been forced to relocate or seek refuge with friends and relatives within and outside the state, while most of the traditional rulers in Ijaw land had abandoned their palaces and have relocated to safe grounds due to the surging flood.
“Some victims now sleep in the open space, some in makeshift tents and others at unsafe locations, with no security, social amenities, medical facilities, psychological or infrastructural support.
“Our traumatized people need immediate help. This is obviously a humanitarian and health crisis with no immediate action taken”,
INC consoled those who had lost their loved ones to the flood disaster, while wishing the injured speedy recovery, just as it assured the victims of constant thoughts and prayers for an early return to normalcy and comfort.
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