Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has directed the provision of additional relief materials and stipends to flood victims across the state, particularly those in the worst-affected communities.
The Deputy Governor and Chairman of the State Flood Prevention and Management Committee, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, disclosed this on Friday when she received a delegation from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Odu said the governor gave the directive after returning from the United Nations General Assembly in New York and receiving reports of the worsening flood situation.
She said the government had deployed trucks carrying food and non-food items to several local government areas, while flood victims would also receive free medical care through the Rivers State Health Insurance Scheme for at least one year.
“Flood does not know party affiliations,” Odu said, assuring that the government would continue to support affected residents regardless of their background.
She added that the government was also addressing the underlying causes of flooding through the clearing of blocked waterways and improvement of drainage systems.
Speaking on behalf of NEMA Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Abubakar Umar, the agency’s Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Bature Usman, said NEMA had commenced an assessment of affected communities in collaboration with the Rivers State Emergency Management Agency (RSEMA).
He assured that the agency would provide relief materials and strengthen the capacity of relevant agencies to ensure timely assistance to flood victims.
