Rivers prepares for emergency flood challenges

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has directed local council chairmen and relevant agencies in the state to take proactive measures to alleviate the suffering of residents in view of the looming flood challenges.

Wike gave the directive in Port Harcourt Thursday during a consultative meeting with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) officials and permanent secretaries of concerned ministries.

Represented by the secretary to the state government, Dr Tammy Dangogo, the governor said he was disturbed by the level of suffering people often undergo following such disasters.

He said the directive “is to ensure early management of emergency situations that would arise from the flood predictions by NEMA and alleviate the suffering of Rivers people.”

Wike said the indicated high and low probable areas where flooding is predicted in 2019 include Degema, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Obio/Akpor, Abua-Odual, Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West, Akoku-Toru, Gokana, Opobo/Nkoro, Port Harcourt City, Bonny, Gokana, Oyibo and Etche LGs.

“The early proactive measures are necessary to minimise emergency situations from the flooding. Residents and indigenes should adhere to the call to vacate when the flood begins,” he said.

Earlier, an official of NEMA, Mr Egwu Damian, said early information-sharing and creation of local emergency management committee structures in the LGs to foster early warning was necessary.

He said part of the reasons for recurrent flooding in the state is the blockage of the waterways by some builders and the state’s location by the bank of the Atlantic Ocean.

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