Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has ordered the immediate release of N100 million to provide relief materials to victims of the flood-ravaged communities in Etsako Central, Etsako East, and Esan South East Local Government Areas of the state.
He also assured that government will look for a long-term solution to avoid a re-occurrence in the future just as he said Government will liaise with the Federal Government to get relief for the displaced persons.
The governor who visited the displaced persons and the flooded communities said the natural disaster caused by the overflowing of the River Niger has led to the loss of property worth billions of naira in the state. "What has happened is an act of God and no one can challenge the will of God. In other parts of the country, we have heard of the loss of lives, but so far we have not recorded any death. Let us pray that the river goes back to its boundary," the governor noted.
According to him, "as a government we will try as much as possible to reduce the hardship suffered by the people by providing relief materials. What we cannot change we will bear it. President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government are concerned about this calamity."
Comrade Oshiomhole who flew in an helicopter and also rode in a canoe to get to the affected communities to see for himself the extent of damage done by the flood, admonished them to remain faithful that the calamity will soon be over to enable them return to their father land. "We are sending relief materials which must be shared to everybody irrespective of which political party they belong to, and doctors will be sent to treat those who are sick. We are also sending the Comrade Buses to evacuate those still in the flooded communities to the camps" he added.
The ravaging flood which has taken over twenty communities with a population of over 500,000 persons, destroyed virtually everything in the affected areas including, buildings, house hold properties and food crops in their farmlands. At the Ekperi Grammar School, Ugbekpe Ekperi, there were over 60, 000 refugees from Yuluwa village, Ofukpo, Agbabu, Iguzi-Ofukpe, Udaba, Unudoboh, Udaba-Ogho, Anegette all in Etsako Central.
The palace of the Daudu of Usumegbe, Chief John Musa and that of the village head of Udaba Chief David Inetape are among the buildings that have been submerged in the flood. In Agenebode, the headquarters of Etsako East Local Government area and its surrounding villages have also been taken over by the flood, while Ilushi, Urho, Urhowa and Inyelen in Esan South East Local Government Area have completely been destroyed by the flood with the entire people moved to Ubiaja the council headquarters.
Narrating his ordeal, one of the affected persons Alhaji Sedenu Mohammed said he fled his Udochi community with his two wives and seven children without salvaging even a pin from his house, saying he was only lucky to move his family away from the ravaging flood which he said took them unawares. Meanwhile, public-spirited individuals have started sending relief materials to the displaced persons to ameliorate their plight.
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