Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Duoye Diri, has lamented the country’s devastating flooding, claiming that every community in the state has been affected.
The governor made the announcement during an interview on Channels Television.
Clearly concerned, Diri stated that the state government has converted non-flooded primary and secondary schools into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
Noting that the entire state has become one large IDP camp, the governor explained that centers have been established, particularly in Yenagoa, the state capital, to house displaced people and begin to meet their needs.
Even as he explained that the state government, through its task force and the State Emergency Management Agency, has begun distributing items to help people cope with the effects of flooding.
“In Bayelsa, every community is an IDP camp.” However, we have designated some IDP camps in Yenagoa, the capital city. “Every community is an IDP camp,” Diri stated emphatically.
“We have a place called Oxbow Lake that has been used as an event center.” Today, that location is open to IDPs, and there are over 2,000 IDPs in that facility. All primary and secondary schools that have not yet been flooded have also been used as IDP camps.”
“That is why the Task Force, in collaboration with the State Emergency Management Agency, continues to distribute food to every local government and every community, because no community is forgotten.”
According to Diri, the state government is concerned about the possibility of disease outbreaks among IDPs.
To address the situation, he stated that the Ministry of Health has also begun distributing drugs to the people while the situation lasts.
Bayelsa is one of more than 22 Nigerian states that have recently experienced flooding. Many people have been displaced from their homes, and many farmlands have been destroyed, raising concerns about food security.
“That is why the Task Force, in collaboration with the State Emergency Management Agency, continues to distribute food to every local government and every community, because no community is forgotten.”
According to Diri, the state government is concerned about the possibility of disease outbreaks among IDPs.
To address the situation, he stated that the Ministry of Health has also begun distributing drugs to the people while the situation lasts.
Bayelsa is one of more than 22 Nigerian states that have recently experienced flooding. Many people have been displaced from their homes, and many farmlands have been destroyed, raising concerns about food security.
As of last Sunday, over 600 people had died as a result of the recent flooding in Nigeria.
According to a statement released on Twitter by Nigeria’s ministry of humanitarian affairs, the disaster had also forced more than 1.3 million people to flee their homes.
“Unfortunately, as of today, October 16, 2022, over 603 lives have been lost,” said Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq.
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