Ex-Governor Dickson Condemn Ministers’ Assessment Of The Effects Of The Flooding In Bayelsa

…Urge federal government to support the state as one of mostly affected states.

The Former Governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Henry Seriake Dickson, has condemned in strong terms the unrealistic assessment of the devastating effects of the 2022 flooding in Bayelsa State.

Dickson who is a two term Governor of the State and a serving Senator, was reacting to recent comments attributed to the Honourable Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu and his counterpart the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Safiya Farouk.

The honourable minister of water resources, Suleiman Adamu stated that the federal government would not declare a state of emergency in parts of the country ravaged by the perennial flooding because, it has not been overwhelmed by the incident.

The minister stated categorically that the flood had not wreaked enough devastation on the affected states to warrant a declaration of state of emergency by the federal government.

The honourable minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, Safiya Farouk said on Thursday that Bayelsa is not among the top ten most affected states by the flood across the federation, stressing that Jigawa State is the most affected of all.

However, Dickson described the assessment reports attributed to the ministers as insensitive, disrespectful and offensive not only to Bayelsa or the Ijaw Nation but, the people of all States affected by the ravaging flood.

He noted that while communities and indeed the entire states mostly in the case of Bayelsa are submerged with critical destruction of infrastructure, properties, businesses, farmlands and livelihoods, the federal government has not provided the needed support to ameliorate the suffering of the people.

The senator added that the public utterances of the two ministers are very discouraging and pathetic, which have continued to aggravate the pains and sufferings of the people.

Dickson condemned the deliberate attempts to downplay the immense effects of the flood on the people, urged the ministers to withdraw the statements and take the necessary steps to support the various state governments to bring succor to the embattled people.

The senator stated that the curious mindset seems to explain why there has been no serious federal government response and intervention in the devasting flood mostly in Bayelsa State.

Dickson urged the ministers to visit Bayelsa and other States, stressing that the devasting situation caused by the ravaging flood would shock them after touring round the State.

Dickson in a statement sent to newsmen of hotnews, and it reads in parts:

“The statements of the two ministers on their assessment reports is insensitive, disrespectful and offensive, not just to Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation but, to all the people of the affected states by the ravaging flood.

“There are communities, and indeed the entire states mostly in the case of Bayelsa are submerged with critical destruction of infrastructure, properties, businesses, farmlands and livelihoods, the federal government has not provided the needed support to ameliorate the suffering of the people.

“Yet, each time the ministers speak what comes out of their mouths does not encourage and give hope to the people but, rather causing more pains to the people with words of discouragement and hopelessness.

“Creating the impression that a whole state whose road networks have been cut off, and the entire state submerged is not among the top ten most affected states by the flood, is clearly a statement of cluelessness due to lack of proper assessment and data collection of the impacts of the flood.

“If that is the mindset of the President or the Federal Government then, it explains why there has been no serious federal government response and intervention in the State.

“I strongly condemn this statements, and I urge the ministers to withdraw their statements and perceive the great need to come to the rescue not just of Bayelsa State but, all the affected States. They should work and support the state governments including individual efforts.

“As someone who had managed several floods and natural disaster in my eight years administration as Governor of the State, and someone who had toured not just Bayelsa but, the entire Niger Delta region in accompanying the President and Vice President in 2012, which till now I have first hand knowledge and experience of what flood can cause to our people.

“In 2012, I went round with the President to assess the effects of flooding to our people. Also, in 2018, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited Bayelsa State to asses the flood situation, and from Port-harcourt, we toured round the affected areas in Rivers State, and parts of Delta State before he returned.

“To say that communities, local government areas, and the entire Bayelsa that is submerged by the flooding is not seriously affected, is simply not an honest assessment. It is an arbitrary assessment, and even if there is one death recorded or people submerged anywhere, it should be of great concern to the federal government in solving this problem and finding a solution, rather than making a dubious assessment and so on.

“The federal government and the ministers should visit the affected areas of Bayelsa and see things for themselves, which they will be shocked at the level of damage caused by the ravaging flood.

“I was told that the federal government had a meeting with experts to come up with a lasting solution on this perennial flooding, which is a good step in the right direction, and I hope that the appropriate inclusion will be made in the appropriation bill to ensure that a lasting solution is found to minimize the effect of flooding, which the lower Niger belt is always greatly affected.