By Adeleye Kunle
The Bayelsa State Government has warned community chiefs and youth leaders to desist from interfering with the distribution of relief materials procured for the various Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps within Yenegoa, the state capital, and its environs.
Iselema Gbaranbiri, chairman of the state’s Flood Mitigation and Management Task Force and Commissioner for Environment, cautioned those involved in such activities to desist from such practice. He gave the advisory during the distribution of foodstuffs procured by the state government to victims of floods in the camps.
He explained that Governor Douye Diri’s administration had earlier delivered relief materials to communities affected by flooding through local government areas sub-committees.
Other officials of the flood committee who accompanied him during the distribution exercise included the chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency, Walamam Igurubia, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ayibaina Duba, and the state chairman of Red Cross Society of Nigeria, Emmanuel Chiefson.
No fewer than 18 non-designated cluster IDP camps received the flood relief materials including bags of garri, beans, rice, onions; 25-litre jerrycans of palm oil and noodles, in the ongoing first phase of the exercise on Monday, October 31, 2022.
According to Iselema, the governor was hopeful that the IDPs would conduct themselves peacefully while sharing the relief items, stressing that “as Bayelsa State government and Bayelsans, we must win this humanitarian crisis.”
While variously addressing managements of the cluster IDP centres, Gbaranbiri said: “These relief materials are not for community youth presidents; they are not for Community Development Committee chairmen; they are not for Chiefs Council.”
Noting that relief materials had earlier been delivered to the communities through the local government areas sub-committees, he said: “We had sensed that they were inadequate. Therefore, the committee will do a second round to come back to the communities through the sub-committees. Before we do that, the committee felt that the camps which were not adequately attended to have to be given these materials.”
He added: “These materials when handed over, as I want to do, are entirely and purely for the people in the camps. Communities should please, wait, we are coming back to you.”
His comments came barely a few hours after Governor Duoye Diri criticised the Federal Government for paying lip service to the plight of Bayelsa regarding the flood situation.
The governor noted that the state didn’t deserve to be treated unfairly during this flood crisis.
Track News recalls that former President Goodluck Jonathan was spotted in a viral picture as he was going around to inspect his community which was taken over by flood.
The former president was dressed in casual shorts and a T-shirt accompanied by some of his aides and associates.
