From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The raging flooding in Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states has compelled the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd), to cancel his earlier scheduled stakeholders’ engagement indefinitely.
Ndiomu confirmed that he was already on his way to the venue of the stakeholders’ meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when he discovered that the flood had taken over the road to Bayelsa.
The PAP boss in a statement yesterday by his Special Assistant, Media, Mr. Thomas Peretu, sympathised with victims of the flood across the Niger Delta.
Describing the disaster as saddening, Ndiomu said it was pathetic that people had been displaced from their homes, farmlands and other sources of livelihood.
He said: “It’s a thing of deep regret and sympathy. I sympathise with the government and the good people of the affected states. We have all seen the very devastating effect of the floods. Roads settlements, communities have been washed away. Quite a few have died in the process. It is most unfortunate, may their souls rest in perfect peace.
“We grieve with the families who have lost loved ones and I believe the government is doing something about it, we on our part will try within the limits of what we can provide to assist with relief materials as part of our corporate social responsibility to the people.
“Coincidentally, I am from Bayelsa State as well. So, it is, in deed a very sad moment for me. My people are involved in this. I feel bad, but we will do the best we can to show support and ensure that some relief and succour comes to the people who are badly affected by this flood.
“The flood forced me to postpone our stakeholders’ engagement in Yenagoa. I am calling on interventionist agencies to up their game by making available more relief materials for the victims. They should also set up proper IDP camps.”
Ndiomu, who lamented that some of the PAP training centres in the region were also affected by the disaster, also called on state governments in the region to close ranks and work together to mitigate the effect of the disaster and also prepare ahead of time for future occurrence.