Flood: Bayelsa shuts schools commences distribution of N50m relief materials to 150,000 victims

The Bayelsa Government has announced immediate closure of all schools in the state as a precautionary measure to avoid loss of lives in the current flooding in the state.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Sunday said that some 150,000 people have been displayed by the ongoing flood following rising water levels.

Mr Yakubu Suleiman, Cordinator at NEMA’s Rivers/Bayelsa territory said on Sunday in Yenagoa that the agency arrived at the figure after evaluation of the flood situation across the eight council areas.

The Commissioner for  Information, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said in a statement that the decision to temporarily close schools was reached at the State Executive Council meeting on Friday.

According to Iworiso-Markson, the meeting was presided over by Gov Seriake Dickson, who also set up a special committee to facilitate prompt and effective response to the flood emergency in the state.

The Council also directed the Ministry of Health to set up an emergency health response unit in the state to mitigate the effect of the flood on the people.

Iworiso-Markson said that the Emergency Health Response Unit  of the Ministry of Health was designed to monitor and prevent the outbreak of diseases like cholera during the period covered by flooding in Bayelsa.

According to him, the Director of the State Emergency Management   Agency briefed the State Executive Council on the flood situation.

 He said that the agency has commenced the distribution of relief materials to affected communities on Saturday.

It will be recalls that Dickson had on Wednesday approved the sum of N50 million for procurement of relief materials for flood victims across the state, however there are concerns on the adequacy of the funds for some 150,000 displaced persons.

The commissioner advised the Bayelsa citizenry not to panic as the government was making all efforts to secure lives and properties in the state.

He said that a large number of communities in virtually all the local government areas were seriously affected by the flooding especially in Ekeremor, Sagbama, Ogbia, Southern Ijaw. 

 “The Bayelsa State Executive Council has directed immediate closure of all schools including private institutions in the state as a precautionary measure to avoid loss of lives to severe flooding in the state.

“The Government has also set up a Special Committee to coordinate activities relating to the flood which has affected several communities in the state.

“The State Executive Council also directed the Commissioner for Health to set up an Emergency Response Unit to monitor and prevent the outbreak of diseases like cholera and others associated with flooding.

“The Director in charge of SEMA briefed the State Executive Council on the flood situation and said that the agency would commence distribution of relief materials on Saturday.

“Government is taking all measures to secure lives and property; the good people of Bayelsa should not panic.” Iworiso-Markson said.