Alleged neglect: Rivers’ flood victims threaten to relocate to Govt House

Friday, October 26, 2018 3:44 pm

A flooded area in the Orashi region of Rivers State

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The people affected by flood disaster in Orashi Region of Rivers State has given Governor Nyesom Wike, up to Monday October 29, 2018, to visit the victims and ameliorate their sufferings or face a planned ‘mother of all’ protests to Government House, Port Harcourt.

The victims of the flood disaster said the planned protest is due to negligence by the state government.

The group, in a statement signed by Abbah Rufus, Leader of Orashi Assembly made available to our correspondent and copied to the Executive Governor of Rivers State, First Lady of Rivers State, L.G.A Chairman, ONELGA. L.G.A. Chairman, AWELGA. LGA Chairman, ABOLGA LGA Chairman, AELGA, Orashi Paramount Rulers Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, G.O.C, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt Division, Department of State Security, Port Harcourt and the different media organisations, warned that they will occupy Government House, until the state government attends to their demands.

According to the statement, “We have cried but not heard. We have been displaced, but not accommodated.Our houses have been destroyed, but not rebuilt. We have lost lives but not consoled. We have been hungry, but not fed.”

The victims recalled that for two months now, Orashi Region, comprising of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, and Abua/Odua Local Government Areas of Rivers State has been ravaged by flood leading to displacement of people, farmlands completely submerged, schools and healthcare services shut down.

They lamented that the victims of the flood disasters have been reduced to aquatic animals without any response from Rivers State Government.

The people further alleged that they had on 11th, October 2018 called on Governor Wike to relocate to Orashi, to give succour to the victims of the flood disaster in their trying time, a call which they said was ignored.

The flood victims also recalled that On February 7th 2018, Governor Wike donated a whooping sum of N200 million to victims of herdsmen attack in Benue State while in Rivers, he chose to neglect and abandon Orashi People, where the revenue of the State comes from.

They also recalled that on October 20th 2018, Governor Wike also approved the sum of N400, 000 for each of the 213 traders and N300, 000 thousand to others around the Fruit Garden market in Port Harcourt after the recent fire accident in the market, to enable them recoup from their losses.

One of the victims of the flood disaster in the Orashi region wading through a pool of water

But chose to neglect Orashi People where the revenue of Rivers State comes from.

“From the data available to us; more than 65% of Rivers State monthly Revenue comes from Orashi Region; yet the people suffer and are grossly neglected by Rivers State Government,” the flood victims said.

They warned that they have exhausted all appeals and media campaign options available without any response from Rivers State Government.

The group therefore called on all Orashi Students, Orashi Youth Groups, Women, Children and Civil Right Groups in Orashi Region, to join the leadership of Orashi Assembly as they all relocate to Government House of Rivers State; if Rivers State Government fails to attend to the plight of Orashi People.

At the time of this report, the state government had not react to to the threat.

It would be recalled that when the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo six days ago visited some flood affected sites in Akinima, Ahoada West part of the state, Wike was not in his entourage, unlike Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa who took him to flooded areas and camps for Internally Displaced in his own the state.