Floods: Diri urged to approach Bayelsa Assembly for intervention

A former information commissioner, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, has appealed to Governor Douye Diri to approach the Bayelsa House of Assembly to increase the flood relief funds allocated to communities affected by the disaster in the Ogbia local government area.

The governor had approved N450 million for relief to about one million displaced people across the eight local government areas.

“No one is in doubt about the kind of crisis we have now as a result of the flood. This is the time the governor needs to approach the state house of assembly and ask for their permission to raise and spend more money on the victims,” the ex-commissioner explained.

Iworiso-Markson, in a statement, said the fund was grossly inadequate to cater for the feeding, medical support and general welfare of flood victims, particularly those around the Ayama axis and Otuokpoti community.

”By the sharing formula, most households could not sustain themselves with the funds beyond a day or two, insisting that more money should be made available to the victims,” he said.

Iworiso-Markson, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for the 2023 Ogbia federal constituency election, said it would be justifiable if the governor approached the state parliament to request special funds.

He added, “This has become inevitable because the affected communities need more money, and I urge the governor to step up the flood relief funds because the one released recently is grossly inadequate. It is barely enough to sustain a family for more than two days, and our people are suffering. They are devastated!”

The ex-commissioner expressed worry over looming water-borne diseases arising from the flood.

Acknowledging the Bayelsa government’s efforts, he urged the federal government to consider Bayelsa as a special case.

The Bayelsa government declared that no fewer than 300 communities and villages had been totally or partially submerged by flooding in the state.

It also announced that about 700,000 people were either displaced or affected by the flood.




FI