Oil giant operator, Total E&P has donated relief materials to displaced residents of its host communities ravaged by the floods in Ahoada East and Idu in Ogba/ Egbema /Ndoni local government areas in Rivers State.
The materials are bags of rice, cartons of water disinfectants, vegetable oil, bottled water and tin tomatoes. Others include packets of tissue rolls and bags of salt.
Presenting the items to the community chiefs, the Managing Director of Total E&P Guy Maurice who was represented by his deputy on Sustainable Development, Cyprian Ojum, said the company is concerned about the plight of their host communities and decided to intervene.
Maurice said the company will also render medical assistance when the need arises. He commended the chiefs on their peaceful cooperation with the company in their communities.
In his response, the Eze Ekpeye Logbo of Ekpeye Kingdom in Ahoada East Local government area, Eze Robinson O. Robinson, while accepting the relief materials, thanked Total for their concern and intervention to the plight of victims of the Ekpeye communities.
Eze Robinson whose palace has also been submerged described Total as a community friendly company and always identifying with its host communities. He promised that the company will witness a more peaceful co-existence and operations in the Ekpeye Kingdom.
The Ekpeye King revealed that about three quarter of communities under the Ekpeye Kingdom has been submerged leaving over one hundred persons displaced. He frowned at the federal government decision to place Rivers state in the category C instead of A in the flood impact assessment.
He urged the federal government to review the categorization and also come to the aid of the Rivers people.
Some of the displaced victims of the Idu community in ONELGA who spoke to our correspondent Precious Werner Ahiakwo commended Total for the relief materials adding that they are yet to feel the impact of the Rivers State government in their community.
They also told our correspondent that the impact of the flood has cut off the community from other towns with some people still trapped on top of trees and roof tops.
