Flood Sweeps Away Schools, Farmlands, Worship Centres In Bayelsa Communities

LAGOS SEPTEMBER 27TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Property worth hundreds of millions of Naira, farmlands, crops, fish ponds, worship centers, schools and roads have been destroyed in Bayelsa State, no thanks to the ravaging floods that has affected communities.
Residents are now seeking the intervention of the federal and state governments, through the National Emergency Management Agency and State Emergency Management Agency.
Amongst communities worst hit are: Asamabiri, Elemebiri, Ekperiware, Adagbabiri and others in Sagbama Local Government Areas; Sampou, Kaiama, Odi in Kolokuma Opokuma Local Government Area; Biseni, Okordia–Zarama, Akenfa, Tombia-Amassoma Road, Igbogene in Yenagoa LGA; Imiringi, Otuoke, Otuasegha, Ayama and Ayakoro in Ogbia LGA, and Ayamasa, Aleibiri, Lalabgene, Obrigbene and Isampou in Ekeremor LGA.
Trofani in Sagbama Local Government Area, Odi and Akaranbi community in Opokuma Clan in Kolokuma Opokuma LGA, as well as Akassa in Brass Local Government Area of the state were also not spared.
Chiefs in the communities, Ozi Authority and Ase Humphrey, at both Sagbama and Biseni areas, appealed to the state government to come to their aid by providing relief materials and accommodation to the displaced individuals affected by the disaster.
Some concerned environmentalists have, however, advocated special annual budgetary provisions to effectively combat the menace of flooding in the state, stating that there was need for yearly de-silting exercise of dams and dredging of major rivers in the country
They also canvassed the establishment of a flood and erosion commission and urged the Niger Delta ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to assist states and the federal government tackle the challenge in the region.

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