Rivers State Government don carry food and relief materials go Abua/Odual Local Government Area to help people wey flood affect.
Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu hand over the materials to council chairman on Tuesday. She be Chairman of Rivers State Flood Prevention and Management Committee. But she send Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties, Dr. Mrs. Fortune Akpila to represent her.
Odu talk say Abua/Odual na one of the places wey flood hit pass for Ahoada East and Ahoada West region. She appeal to council chairman make sure all flood victims benefit from the relief materials. She say the gesture part of Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara intervention to reduce flood effect on vulnerable communities.
The items wey dem deliver include non-food items: 200 mattresses, 200 pillows, 100 blankets, 50 bedsheets, 200 towels, 200 plastic buckets, 200 pairs of bedroom slippers, 200 creams, 200 soaps, 200 toothbrushes, 200 tubes of toothpaste, 50 packs of washing soap detergent, 200 serving plates, 200 sanitary pads, and 200 tablespoons.
Food items na 150 bags of 25kg rice, 500 bags of 10kg beans, 30 bags of 25kg salt, 40 gallons of 10-litre palm oil, 14 cartons (196 packets) of seasoning cubes, 5 cartons (300 packets) of groundnut oil, 107 bags of 25kg Garri, and 200 cartons of Indomie (40 pieces per carton).
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, who also member of the flood committee, warn residents to prepare for the health consequences of the flood. He talk say flood go come with cholera and other diseases because of contaminated water wey people go dey drink. He announce say State Government, through RIVCHPP, don start free enrollment of residents into health insurance scheme so dem fit access free treatment during flood period. He call on Abua people make dem go nearest health centre or hospital to enroll free of charge.
Receiving the relief materials, Chairman of Abua/Odual LGA, Hon. (Engr.) Owolobe Michael Ofori, thank State Government for the intervention. Ofori, wey Council Secretary, Hon. Wilson Alami Maxie represent, say Council go ensure say deputy governor message reach all LGA stakeholders, CDCs and community leaders, particularly on the need for citizens to enroll for Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP).
The council boss appeal to Ministry of Health to pay urgent attention to General Hospital in Abua, wey dey offer only skeletal services. He lament say no functional secondary health facility for the entire Abua/Odual, forcing residents to seek care in Bayelsa State, while General Hospital at Amago community remain uncompleted and inaccessible by road. He say the relief materials go bring succour to poor farmers whose crops and homes flood dey usually submerge. He talk: ‘You can imagine the condition of the poor farmers in the villages, toiling for months to farm and flood just come destroy their crops, even their habitat. Some communities are completely submerged. So, for State Government to come with relief materials, Abua people grateful well well.’
