By Eunice Nnachi, Yenagoa
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources,Chief Timipre Sylva yesterday commiserated with internally displaced persons, also undertook inspection of flood impacted areas such as the Amassoma Road, Tombia Town, and the failed portion of the East West Road at Okogbe in Rivers State.
On a visit to the Okogbe area of East West Road, he stated that, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has directed the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry to ensure damaged roads in the region are repaired expeditiously.
Chief Sylva, who was in company of the
Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content, Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote, also visited the State Government IDP camps, noted that, there must be a collective effort to find lasting solution to the repeated flooding.
The duo visited camps located at Igbogene and Ox-Bow lake and donated truck load of relief materials, and food items such as bags of rice, palm oil, sugar, salt, tomatoes, seasonings, mosquito nets and mattresses which was handed over to officials for onward distribution to victims.
Sylva said, ‘I have come all the way from Abuja with a message from the Federal Executive Council, we have given a directive to the NDDC and the Niger Delta Ministry to ensure that the repairs of this road is completed expeditiously
“But this of course is beyond what we are talking about because this happens every year, as we stand here we know that the water is receding but the water will come back in a matter of few months next year, we must look for some kind of solution to this problem which has bedeviled us year on and year out.
“We have to work together as a people and leave our political differences, we are not here to campaign, this is not about any campaign, this is about Nigeria and the wellbeing of Nigerians and that is why we have come here and the Federal Executive Council has directly taken steps to ensure this devastation that we see here is ameliorated as quickly as possible.
“But going beyond that we must find a permanent and lasting solution to this problem and this we can only do as a people together not minding our political differences.
“Every year at a certain time we are faced with this same period unfortunately we have not found a lasting solution to this problem, why we are doing so, we also take cognisant of the fact that people are suffering, as I came here what I have seen with my own eyes is very bad, the condition of our people is absolutely deplorable, we should not always politicize everything this is beyond politics.”
“When the flood comes the flood doesn’t know the house of an APC or PDP man. So as Bayelsans we must come together and solve this problem because we come here, we do whatever we can do today to ensure enough next year by this same time there will be another flood so we must as Bayelsans come together and find a solution to this problem.”
“I myself I am here today in the company with the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, I have directed NCDMB to ensure that they are able to give you materials, food items and medicine. Tomorrow I will be here in a bigger way keep it as a secret, how I will come back.”
“I have come here with the support of the executive Secretary of NCDMB in partner to put together to alleviate the immediate problem of you that I refuse to call IDPs, I refuse to call you that because you are strong able bodied ijaw men, who are just temporarily displaced and by the grace of God you will be going back to your houses but while you are here it is our responsibility to as Bayelsans to come together and ensure that your problems are alleviated and that’s why we are here.”
