AS flood continues to ravage coastal states such as Bayelsa, Kogi, Delta, distress calls continue to go out to governments and humanitarian agencies to race to the rescue of victims with essential provisions for those in internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps. For Bayelsa state particularly, the flood has resulted in the hike of prices of commodities and scarcity of petroleum products for commuting either on what is left of land or water, the main transport medium. The disaster has affected everyone in Bayelsa directly or indirectly, and has prompted the state government to set up IDP camps at various locations, and with the government urging public-spirited individuals, NGOs, FBOs to donate relief materials to help cushion the effect of the flood.
Bayelsa is one of the Niger Delta states most impacted by the massive floods ravaging parts of Nigeria. Seven out of the eight local government areas are affected by flooding, with many communities totally or partially submerged, including Yenagoa, the state capital. Lives have been lost and properties worth billions of naira destroyed, including the East-West Road, the only road to Bayelsa state from Delta and Rivers states, cut off, thus leaving commuters stranded with only risky options as means of transport. This has in turn slowed down efforts for needed goods and services to get to Bayelsa to cushion the suffering of internally displaced persons.
In its bid to ameliorate the sufferings of those affected by the flood, Ethanrose Foundation visited three IDP camps yesterday to distribute relief materials to the flood victims. The camps visited included Oxbow Lake, Edepie and Yenegwe. The Ethanrose Foundation team gave basic amenities like food stuffs, beverages and potable drinking water which are some of the basic needs of the displaced persons.
Executive Secretary, Ethanrose Foundation, Annette David- West, spoke with the flood victims and encouraged those in the IDP camps not to lose faith but to keep hope alive knowing that the flood is a phase that will soon pass, and they will eventually return to their homes and normal lives. She noted that although the items provided might not meet all their basic needs, she charged the internally displaced persons to make judicious use of them, so everyone gets a share.