A combined team of the Ministry of Special Duties and the National Emergency Management Agency has visited some communities in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area affected by flood last year. The Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Dickson Onwunakwe who lead the team said that the purpose of the interactive session with the communities is to prepare the people on what to do when eventually the flood arrives. He advised them to identified higher grounds and move the elderly ones, physically challenged, sick persons, children and wards to safer places, before the Government and other intervention agencies will step in and urged them to avoid swimming, fishing, walking and drinking water affected by flood.
The Commissioner urged them not to block drainages by dumping refuse indiscriminately as waters cannot flow properly where the drains are blocked. He advised them to follow instruction and always discuss flood situation with family members, neighbours as well as co-operate with emergency response teams. He also stated that the State Government had already taken certain measures to ensure that the effects of the expected flood is cushioned, such as the provision of marine ambulances and speed boats to evacuate them to camps to be provided as well as taking care of Health issues.
In his remark, the Zonal Coordinator, South-South National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mr. Emenike Umesi gave details of the weather prediction as it affects the State. He stated that they were here to look at the adverse effect of the flood, adding that the Akuku-Toru axis is vulnerable to rainstorm which will affect houses, fishing activities and also cause coastal. The South-South Coordinator, who was represented by his assistant, Mr. Damian Egwu, added that the partnership between his agency, States/Local Government and the affected communities will help to reduce the level of impact, loss of lives and reduce cost.
He added that the Federal Government had contacted the State Government in its efforts to find out how prepared it is in carrying out sensitization and enlightenment campaigns at the affected areas and for the communities to be prepared. In his remark the Council Chairman, Mr. Theodore Georgewill commended the State Government and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for embarking on the sensitization and enlightenment campaigns to the flood affected communities in the area. Mr. Georgewill said that it will go a long way in reducing the hardship these communities encountered last year. He however, appealed to the State Government and NEMA to respond urgently when the flooding starts. The communities visited include Soku, Ijaw-Kiri, Elem-Sangama and Oru-Sangama.
