Declare state of emergency in flooded areas in Orashi region of Rivers – Rivers APC

*Slams House of Assembly members for not visiting impacted area

Ibrahim Bakare/Port Harcourt.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has urged the Rivers State Government to declare an environmental emergency in the Orashi region comprising Abua/Odual, Ahoada-West, Ahoada-East and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas. 

In a press statement signed by Darlington Nwauju, Rivers State APC Spokesperson, the party pointed out that the state government should act as first-line responders to a state-level natural emergency such as we are witnessing now in the Orashi region.

APC condemns the unempathetic posture of the Rivers State House of Assembly, as acclaimed representatives of the people who should have visited impacted sites to gain first hand knowledge of the level of emergency in order to recommend most appropriate measures to be deployed by the affected local government councils and the state government.

The party also queried the use of  Ecological Fund by the State Government which was introduced through the Federation Account Act of 1981 and promulgated as Decree 36 of 1984 and 106 of 1992, also known as the Allocation of Federation Account Modification Order of 2002.

Ecological  funds are solely for the purpose of tackling multifarious ecological challenges in various communities across the country.

“Given the magnitude of disaster that has sacked communities in the Orashi region of Rivers State, we owe Rivers people the obligation of demanding from our State House of Assembly at this critical point in time, to probe into the usage of the monthly Ecological funds accruals to Rivers State Government. The funds is supposed to statutorily come to the local government councils and the state government simultaneously through Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).

“Rivers people deserve to know how the 0.72% for state and 0.6% for LGA of derivation funds set aside monthly for ecology and disaster management is being utilized. 

The APC said it is also aware that NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) had written the 36 state Governors on the appropriate action to take in view of the gloomy forecasts of the rains this year and wonders what were the contingency measures or structures put in place to manage this already predicted disaster.

“How much in the past seven years has the state spent on disaster management in the face of billions of naira received from the Federation Account in the name of Ecological funds?

The APC in Rivers State, therefore, calls on the state government and the affected local government councils to as a matter of urgency, declare an Environmental Emergency in the affected areas and publish short and medium term plans to handle this natural disaster, including very clear timeline for proper resettlement and reintegration of all those displaced, together with meaningful economic support strategy for families and communities.

Recall that Governor Nyesom Wike has approved N1billion for the flood impacted areas and setup a State Taskforce find out the needs of the victims before providing relief materials to them.

However, neither Governor Wike or members of State House of Assembly have visited, and empathize with victims of flood impacted areas in state at the time of filing this report.