…as Government Begins Distribution of Relief Materials
Residents of flood-prone communities in the Orashi region of Rivers State have yet to move into government-prepared shelter camps, even as the state government on Thursday began distributing relief materials to areas affected by this year’s flooding.
The worst-hit areas include Ahoada West, Ahoada East, Abua/Odual, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas.
At the flag-off ceremony held at the Central Medical Stores in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Deputy Governor and Chairman of the 2025 Flood Prevention and Management Committee, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu, said the initiative marked the beginning of relief distribution to the Orashi region.
She disclosed that Ahoada East, Ahoada West, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGAs each received two trucks loaded with food and non-food items.
“Each LGA receives two trucks filled with both food and non-food items. Non-food items include 200 mattresses, 200 pillows, slippers, and cooking utensils, while food items include 200 bags of rice, 300 cartons of Indomie noodles, 500 bags of garri and beans, 600 cans of palm oil, and salt,” Prof. Odu stated.
The Deputy Governor explained that the effort was part of the state’s deliberate strategy to reduce the impact of flooding on affected communities. She added that the state government was also undertaking desilting work at the Rumuokwurusi River to enhance water flow.
Prof. Odu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to keeping its promises to victims, including the earlier disbursement of ₦3 million to families who lost loved ones in the floods. She further urged local government councils to complement the state’s intervention by providing additional relief materials to ensure wider coverage.
She announced that a monitoring team would be deployed next week to oversee distribution at the local level and ensure transparency and accountability.
Speaking on the readiness of shelter facilities, Prof. Odu said the state had established internally displaced persons (IDP) camps equipped with comfortable rooms, mosquito nets, and boreholes. She, however, noted that no residents had yet agreed to relocate to the camps, though journalists would soon be taken on a tour to assess the facilities.
The Deputy Governor commended the Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Hon. Solomon Abuba, for his presence and cooperation, describing his commitment as evidence of concern for his people’s welfare.
In his remarks, Hon. Abuba thanked the state government for its timely intervention and pledged to personally supervise the distribution process to ensure the materials reached genuine victims of the flood disaster.
