The Edo State Government has said that work has intensified at designated resettlement camps across the state to receive residents, who are displaced by flooding.
Persistent rainfall in the past few weeks dislodged some persons from their homes, as the state government announced the opening of resettlement camps for residents that were adversely affected by the heavy downpours.
The state government issued flood alert in parts of the state last week, following new predictions that the state will experience flooding incidence with the persistent rainfall and the release of water from dams in neighbouring countries.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr Yakubu Gowon, said that an inter-ministerial committee to oversee the relocation of affected persons and running of the resettlement camps and safe havens has been set up.
He disclosed that the committee is made up of officials of the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), special assistants to the governor in the various wards, officials of ministries of infrastructure, environment and health, local council chairmen, members of the Red Cross, Fire Service and local government councillors, who are on standby to assist people in distress.
He listed the areas earmarked as safe havens to include “the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camp in Oghomere in Etsako Central Local Government Area and the skills acquisition centre in Fugar.
“In Esan South East Local Government Area, the council hall and the hall of St Benedict Catholic Church in Ubiaja will serve as safe haven. In Ikpoba-Okha local council, Western Boys High School hall has been pencilled down to receive those displaced from their homes in the council area,” he added.
He said that men and women will be separated in the camps to protect their rights and assured that effort is being made to procure more relief materials to be delivered when the camps are ready.
“In Ovia North East, the local government chairman has donated a place in Okada while another place in Gelegele, in the same local council will provide succour to flood victims,” Gowon said.
The governor’s aide maintained that the relevant ministries have desilted blocked drainages to ease the flow of water in the city.
Two weeks ago, Edo State government donated relief materials to communities affected by windstorm in Esan West and Owan West local government areas of the state. Similar donation had been made in ten local councils where windstorm destroyed houses.
Handing over the relief materials on behalf of the state government to chairmen of the two local councils in Benin City, the state capital, Gowon said “This is a continuous exercise, we have donated relief materials to communities in about 12 local government areas and we have been receiving letters of appreciation from the beneficiaries.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Hydrological Services Agencies (NHISA) have warned that 12 states across the country would experience flooding due to torrential rain falls.
The two agencies gave the warning during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held with relevant stakeholders in Abuja.
Mr Clem Nze, Director, Engineering Hydrology, NHISA, listed the states to include: Kogi, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Edo, Anambra, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states, from the River Niger axis.
He also listed Taraba, Benue and Adamawa as states to be affected from the River Benue axis.
He said that the decision to raise the alarm was to ensure preparedness among stakeholders and residents of flood-prone communities.
The NEMA and NHISA alert followed a similar alert issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMeT), warning of high floods in some identified states across the country including Edo.
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