A traditional ruler in Ndokwa East Local Government has died during evacuation from his domain just as Delta state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has directed the heads of the flooded Local Government Areas of the state to drive the efforts to evacuate victims of the current flooding in the state.
The traditional ruler whose name is still being withheld for traditional reasons, drowned when the boat he was being evacuated with capsized even as the governor ordered all political appointees to go back to their council areas to help in checking the flood scourge.
Dr. Uduaghan who directed all political appointees to return to their local government areas to assist in the evacuation and rehabilitation efforts during a meeting with members of the flood disaster committee, political appointees and Heads of Personnel Management (HPM) of the affected local government areas, said those trapped by the flood must be evacuated within two days.
In particular, he said a comprehensive report of the flooding detailing every community affected, number of displaced persons, those trapped, casualties, rehabilitation camps; problems and challenges faced should be ready within the same period.
He noted that the welfare of the displaced persons was paramount to the state government, stressing that his administration was putting everything in place to make the rehabilitation camps conducive.
Governor Uduaghan called for assistance from different organisations, corporate bodies and NGO’S to contribute their quota in alleviating the sufferings of the displaced people, explaining that the burden was too heavy for government to bear alone.
“We are asking for assistance from other organisations and groups because everybody needs to be involved whether they are from the affected areas or not”, he stated.
“So far I have refused financial assistance from people, if any group or person has money to help the displaced people, they should convert it to tangible goods,” he said.
Speaking further, the governor said it was also the responsibility of the local government councils to provide for the displaced people in their jurisdiction decrying the nonchalant attitude of most of the councils to the flooding.
While briefing the governor on the activities the flood disaster committee, the chairman of the committee and deputy governor of the state Prof Amos Utuama (SAN) said the flood situation in the state was getting worse as almost all the coastal areas have been submerged.
He noted that the committee had visited the affected coastal areas, opened rehabilitation camps and ensured that the relief materials were distributed to the camps.
