The Rivers State Flood Management Committee has distributed relief materials to victims of flooding in Oyigbo and Eleme Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking during the distribution exercise at the Oyigbo Local Government Secretariat in Afam, Chairman of the Committee and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Professor Ngozi Odu, assured affected residents of the state government’s continued commitment to their welfare.
Odu attributed a significant portion of the flooding to blocked drainage networks and urged residents to stop dumping refuse in drainage channels. She said proper waste disposal would help reduce the impact of flooding in affected communities.
Chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Okechukwu Akara-Nwogu, said all 10 wards in the council were affected by the flooding. He added that the Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camp used during the 2023 floods was also completely submerged.
Akara-Nwogu appealed to the state government to implement long-term post-flood recovery measures for residents displaced by the disaster.
Some affected residents thanked the government for the emergency assistance but lamented the destruction of homes and farmlands, as well as the disruption of their children’s education.
The relief items distributed included food supplies such as rice, beans, garri, instant noodles and palm oil, alongside non-food items including mattresses, pillows and buckets.
