Environment
As Flood Victims Await Palliatives
Many state governments are yet to disburse cash raised from various sources to thousands of people affected by the 2012 flood disaster nationwide.
It would be recalled that flood affected many states of the federation some five months ago.
A nationwide survey showed that most of the governments distributed to various victims tonnes of relief materials received on their behalf.
The materials were donated by the federal, state, local governments, philanthropists, international and other humanitarian agencies that were moved by the plight of the victims.
While many states were yet to disburse cash, few others, however, gave out funds from their coffers, including money provided by the Federal Government to purchase materials.
In Sokoto State, the government said it had distributed cash and relief materials to all the victims based on need.
Dr Jabbi Kilgori, the State Commissioner for Environment, said the Federal Government donated N250 million to the 2012 flood victims in 11 out of the 23 local governments.
Kilgori told newsmen in Sokoto that the money had since been judiciously distributed to all the victims in the affected areas.
Kilgori also said the Federal Government donated 7,500 bags of assorted grains to the victims.
“All these have also been judiciously distributed to the flood victims in the affected local governments.’’
In Ebonyi, the state government said it would begin the disbursement of N400 million cash and other relief materials to the victims with effect from next week.
The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Elder Umunna Igboke, announced this in an interview with newsmen in Abakaliki.
“The money is the N300 million and N100 million pledged to the flood victims by both the federal and Ebonyi government,” he said.
He said that the 2012 flood victims were yet to receive any form of financial assistance since the incident except the first batch of relief materials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The materials included bags of rice, garri and wheat.
According to him, the second batch of bags of rice, beans, garri, vegetable and palm oil, sugar, blankets, bath towels and wax prints donated by NEMA would be officially handed over to government for distribution to the victims.
Other materials to be handed over include packets of detergent, mattresses, nylon mats, mosquito nets, plastic cups and spoons.
“The state government also received some relief materials for distribution to the flood victims from the Nigerian Ports Authority.
“They include 200 bags of rice, 300 pieces of foams, 300 pieces of treated mosquito nets and 700 pieces of blankets,” he said.
Igboke, however, explained that the delay in the disbursement of the funds was not deliberate but due to some bureaucratic bottle necks.
He said the mode of disbursement would be based on the level of destruction suffered by each victim.
In Nasarawa, the task force set up by Governor Tanko Al-makura to distribute cash and materials to the victims began work since February 22.
The Committee was inaugurated by Al-Makura in December 2012.
It was charged with the mandate of ensuring that all those genuinely affected by the flood were identified to enable them to benefit from the intervention.
The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), Dr. Abdullahi Idris, said since November 28, 2012, the government spent N50 million to buy relief materials for the 94,358 persons displaced by the flood.
He explained that more than 200 communities were affected out of which 122, with 94,358 persons, were displaced while 2,000 hectares of farm land were destroyed by the flood.
Idris noted that the situation necessitated the relocation of the affected communities.
Idris said apart from the funds the state received from the Federal Government, it also got some relief materials from Dangote Foundation and would be distributed to victims soon.
Some of the materials already received from the Foundation include 350 bags of rice, 1,000 blankets and 1,500 bags of salt.
The Executive Secretary added that the agency took delivery of materials from NEMA and the Federal Government which includeed 500 bundles of zinc, 400 pieces of planks and 200 mattresses.
Idris, however, said shortly after the release of the N400 million by the Federal Government, more people began to come out with claims.
He said the State Government would not deal with them until after handling the 94,538 that were first captured in the inventory.
In Katsina, the State Government said it set up a Committee to work out modalities for the distribution of the funds donated by the Federal Government to the victims.
The Executive Director of the State’s Rehabilitation and Emergency Relief Agency, Alhaji Hassan Rawayau, said in Katsina that the committee had visited all the local governments affected by the flood.
He said the committee assessed the magnitude of damage suffered by each victim.
Rawayau said the Committee had completed its work and submitted the report to the State Government for approval.
He said the funds would be distributed to the victims “very soon”.
On the distribution of relief materials, the executive director said the Local and State Governments as well as NEMA had distributed materials worth millions of naira to victims in the affected areas.
In Port Harcourt, the Rivers Government said it spent about N600 million on flood victims across the state.
The Acting Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr Godswill Jumbo, said government spent the N600 million apart from the N300 million provided by the Federal Government.
He said the flood affected about 100 communities and displaced more than 800,000 persons in the state.
Jumbo said the amount was used to buy relief materials for victims, including the N300 million from the federal authority.
The Press Secretary said the State Government set up a Flood Relief Committee, headed by his boss, the Deputy Governor, Mr Tele Ikuru.
He said some well meaning Nigerians also contributed relief materials for the victims in the state which was managed by the Committee.
Jumbo said the materials included food, clothing, sanitary items and special food for pregnant women, infants and babies.
He said all the items were properly distributed to the affected persons across the state.The Press Secretary said there was no monetary disbursement to any victim.
Jumbo stated that various criteria were used in distributing the materials, adding that only persons affected by flood were beneficiaries.
He said the State Government properly catered for the victims.
Jumbo said a Post Flood Committee was set up by government in the local government areas to distribute cassava and yam seedlings, among other crops, to affected persons.
He said farming had begun in some of the areas where farming was their occupation.
The Press Secretary noted that after the flood, the State Government did not receive any assistance from the Federal Government for victims apart from the initial N300 million.
However in Edo, most victims of the disaster in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo still live in pitiable condition.
Most of those whose homes were damaged by the flood, were squatting with relatives and friends.
It would be recalled that several houses and farmlands were destroyed by the flood.
Some victims of the disaster said that “we now live from hand to mouth” after losing their homes to flood.
They therefore appealed to the Federal and State Governments to fulfil promises made to them during their travail.
The victims, however, expressed satisfaction over some relief materials such as food stuff given to them by the government, individuals and corporate organisations.
A community leader in Ofukpo-Ekperi, Mr Saliu Rufai, however, said the residents had not received financial assistance from the government to rebuild their houses.
Another community leader, Mr Joseph Oshigbele of Osomeigbe community, said government only succeeded in taking statistics of the houses destroyed by the flood.
According to both community leaders, the hardship inflicted by the flood can only be understood better by anyone who cares to visit the community and see things for himself.
“As I speak with you, most of us are just struggling to resuscitate our farmlands which were destroyed.
“We have had to travel as far as Uromi in Esan North East Local Government Area to get farm inputs like cassava stems.
“This is part of what the government promised us and we are yet to get any of it.
“This is planting season for yam and by May, we will be planting rice and we have not gotten any of these farm inputs from the government as promised,” Rufai said.
“All we have received is the team which came to evaluate our damaged houses and also the fumigation carried out immediately the flood receded.
“Aside this, my people are expecting soft loans to enable them to get fully back to their occupation which is farming,” he said.
In Yenagoa, similar victims in various Bayelsa communities expressed concern over alleged delay by the State Government in assisting them to restart life, four months after the flood that hit the state.
Reports say that more than 70 per cent of the victims are disenchanted by the “slow response” of the government and its post-flood management committee towards their plight.
A widow who hailed from Zarama community, Mrs Rose Emokoh, said life had not been the same since she returned to the community after spending three weeks at a relief camp.
“Since they asked us to return to our villages, life has never been the same.
“We are yet to receive any assistance from government after all the promises they made,” she stated.
Another victim, Mr. Titus Akpere, a fish farmer from Odi community, said he was among the first batch of those who returned to their communities after the government closed down the camps.
Dasuki writes for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Sambo Dasuki
Some residents of Port Harcourt and its environs have reacted to the impending flooding in parts of the country, including Rivers state.
It would be recalled that the federal government last week predicted flooding in some states in the country, including Rivers State.
A cross session of residents who spoke to The Tide on the issue said time has come for residents to be careful about the way they managed their waste, especially at this time of the year.
According to them, people must avoid blocking water channels as well as indiscriminate dumping of waste into water channels.
Speaking with The Tide, an Environmentalist, Elder Blessing Jackson Tiko, called for caution by residents of Port Harcourt and its environs
Tiko who was a former deputy operational officer Phalga Environmental Sanitation Taskforce, said people must be conscious of the way and manner that they manage their waste.
“We know that we have the rain and if you watch it is coming especially this month of July,it would rain and rain and rain
“We have to be very conscious of how we manage our environmental system, the way we throw our waste and how we evacuate it so that every where will be open for water to move freely
“Water doesn’t want blockage, water wants free flow, ’he said
Tiko urged state governments to liaise with the federal government and development agencies to dredge and open up river channels to enable Water move freely.
He particularly called on the Niger Delta Basine Development Authority and the Niger Delta Development Commission to liaise with state governments in the quest to end flooding in the states.
Also speaking, Mrs. Alice. A. Alabo a trader at Mile 3 Port Harcourt, urged the state government to do something on the constant flooding at the Abuja bypass in Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt,
She said the bypass is always flooded at every little rainfalls stressing that something must be done about it.
Alabo also told The Tide Correspondents that the Abuja bypass has no receptacles and called on the management of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency to provide receptacles for the people, to ensure proper waste disposal in the area.
“The government should provide us with receptacles for us to properly place our waste which is causing the flooding in the area.
A shop owner Dickey, Livia Marko lemanted the incessant flooding along the Abuja bypass, adding that the situation is affecting their businesses.
“We have been begging the Rivers State Government and the local government to come to our aid.
“The Ego Line Progressive Union contributes N10,000 every year to make sure that we evacuate the drainage.
“We called the Hausa boys to come and clean from the beginning to the end of the tunnel which leads to the Interwoba
“So immediately after each rainfall within 10 minutes it will dry otherwise we cannot stay in our shop.
“I am begging the government to come to our rescue, even if they want to open the gutter or canal. It will help in preventing the flooding or they should clean the gutters starting from Ikwerre Road to the Interwoba axis”, he said
On his part,Mr. Ajaka Olawa, lamented that the flooding in Timber area by Abuja bypass area is so terrible that no businesses can easily be carried on in the area.
He blamed it on the continuous blockage of drainages
. “I can’t remember the last time the government came to clean the drainage, so when it rains we find it difficult to stay here.
“Some of our shops are wet because of the flooding. And if the rain falls heavily, we pack our goods. If not. they get damaged, and I am expecting this message to reach the government for them to do something about it”
“The people, the government gives the job are not being followed up, that’s why the road is still looking bad,
“The government is trying, but they should put more effort to make sure that the jobs are being carried out.
Also, Mr. Chukuma said, during the flooding along Abuja bypass by Timber, no activities take place.
He said that if rain falls, either little or heavy, none can use the road because the road will be inundated by water. Sometimes it takes two to three days for the water to dry.
According to him, eight years ago, the former governor was here to see things for himself, but nothing happened till he left office.
By: Victoria Gilbert / Ossia Victory
Following the rising impact of toxic waste in the Niger Delta communities in Nigeria, an Ecological Think Tank, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, has urged oil-producing communities in the region to monitor their environment and report incidents of pollution or other environmental hazards in real time to appropriate authorities.
The Project Manager, Communities and Culture, HOMEF, Cadmus Atake gave the advice last Friday during a Community Environmental Monitoring Training for the people of Nembe, Town-Brass in Bayelsa and Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom States respectively which was held in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Atake said though the extractive activities of oil companies have impacted negatively on the communities, the people still have a role to play in protecting the environment by not throwing plastics in the water bodies or engaging in activities inimical to the environment.
He said, “The purpose is to train the people on how they can monitor their environment that has been impacted by extractive activities, for them to observe the changes that occur in their environment and things they see when they go out to fish.”
Atake also harped on the need for documentation and reporting of the identified environmental challenges or pollution, saying that monitoring without reporting would be an effort in futility even as he tasked them with the accuracy, authenticity and originality of data without any mutilation.
He encouraged people to use mobile phones to take real-time photos and videos without editing the images in the case of pollution or oil spills.
His words, “Reporting is an essential aspect of any monitoring activity. It affords the opportunities to track the activity and its impacts. It makes an activity visible and draws attention to it. Also, it helps to identify associated risks and to know the required controls and learning outcomes needed to prevent the reoccurrence of failures of an activity. No monitoring exercise is complete without a report of observations and a point of action.
“You must identify what caused the pollution, state the name of the community and landmark and if possible, use GPS, time and date the pollution was observed.”
One of the participants, OmusuoDieworio from Bayelsa State noted that apart from the activities of the multinationals, the people have contributed to the disappearance of fishes in the rivers by dumping refuse and plastic wastes inside the river which posed a great threat to fishes even as he urged community leaders to promulgate laws prohibiting that and the youth leaders to ensure the enforcement.
“Our people should be sensitized on the hazards of toxic waste. We should put laws that are binding on us. Our fishermen should discipline themselves enough after drinking sachet water eating should not drop the waterproof inside the water. They should also be discouraged from using dynamite and other chemicals for fishing as all these are harmful to both the aquatic animals and human beings that will consume it.” He said.
Speaking on the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, UmoIsua-Ikoh of the Peace Pact Development Foundation, said the provision in the PIA where the community should forfeit its 3% development fund in case of pipeline vandalism criminalizes the community and should be expunged noting that no community will agree to vandalize pipeline but an individual or a criminal.
He said they should go after anyone who vandalises pipelines and not make the entire community bear the brunt of one person.
On his part, Stephen Oduware, the Program Manager at Fossil Politics, called on the communities to network with CSOs, CBOs, doctors, lawyers, media especially those from their communities and other community members who have the community at heart to advocate at all fronts.
“The community people should partner with CSOs, CBOs so that they will be able to advocate from all fronts from the health implication of this pollution from the legal and human right violations as a result of this pollution, land grabbing and then they will be able to get well-researched works from the academics, we believe that with this network they will be able to push for the justice they needed.” He said.
The Delta State Govern-
ment says it is working hard to tackle the issue of climate change in the state.
Special Adviser to the state Governor on Sustainable Development Goals) (SDGs, Lady Diana Eyo _Enoette, said this in an interview with newsmen during the launching of Green City Project in Port Harcourt.
She said the government was doing this by raising awareness on the impact of climate change in the State and also control the indiscriminate dumping of waste across the State.
Eye-Emoette said government has also setup scouts across the State to embark on tree planting campaign in all nooks and crannies of Delta State.
She said time has come for governments across the Niger Delta region to create more awareness on climate change, adding that continuous human activities in the region have made it vulnerable to climate change
Diana described her government as a leading voice on climate change as far as the Niger Delta region is concerned and stressed the need for other governments in the region to follow suit.
She said Green City’s initiatives have become a potent weapon in fighting climate change, stressing that the initiative is coming at the appropriate time.
The special advise said governments across the country should key into the green city’s projects inorder to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, a university teacher, Professor Magnus Onuoha, has called for conscious efforts by governments across Africa to check carbon emissions.
The university teacher also described the green city’s initiatives as a safe avenue for emerging cities in Africa.
Prof Onuoha, who spoke via videophone described the project as innovative, adding that climate change is real and no longer fallacies.
According to him “it is glaringly telling on our faces and the possibility of it going away is not there”.
He said.
By: John Bibor