As the ravaging flood continues to submerge coastal communities, Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has ordered the State’s flood management committee to move into impacted communities and evacuate people who are yet to relocate to camps established for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

The governor gave the order on Wednesday, while inspecting the effect of the ravaging flood on some communities in Delta State. During the inspection visit, Governor Okowa visited Oko, Powerline and Infant Jesus area of Oshimili South local government area. He also visited one of the seven IDPs Camps set up by his administration.

According to the governor, "this is an emergency situation, move the buses to the communities, use speed boats where necessary and comb all the impacted communities, bring out any of our persons remaining in those communities to the IDP camps."

"From what we have heard, the flood water is rising, you can see that apart from Oko Amakom, the other communities have been submerged; it is an unfortunate situation, thank God we embarked on early awareness campaign and our people listened," the governor stated.

At the Palace of the Okaku of Oko Amakom, HRM Nwanodi Nwanmou, Governor Okowa commended the people of the community for agreeing to move to the IDPs camps, observing that though, the people have lost their agricultural produce as a result of the flood, his administration would work to ameliorate their sufferings, asserting, "with the situation of things, it is very important that we save lives, we have deployed man and resources to other impacted communities and those communities that were affected by the flood of 2012 but are yet to be affected by this flood, we have to be proactive in this emergency situation.

Mr Emma Egonu who spoke on behalf of the Okaku commended the proactive measures taken by Governor Okowa's administration to check the effects of the flood on the people, assuring that the people would cooperate with government officials for their safety.

Governor Okowa also visited a makeshift IDP Camp provided by residents of Powerline which has been submerged by the flood. The makeshift IDP Camp is located at an area sand-filled as part of the construction of the second Niger Bridge. Governor Okowa commended their ingenuity, assuring that security, medical facilities, food and other items enjoyed in the government established IDP camps would be deployed to the camp.

In an interview at one of the IDP Camps established in Asaba, Governor Okowa disclosed that security of lives and property was topmost in his administration's agenda as it tackles the menace of the flood, assuring that the makeshift IDP Camp established by residents of the Powerline community would be monitored and the people would be evacuated once there was sign of threat by the flood at the camp.

Governor Okowa who was accompanied on the inspection by members of the state’s security council was conducted round the communities by the Commissioner for Bureau for Special Duties, Barr. Ernest Ogwezzy. In the impacted communities, Barr Ogwezi explained efforts made to check the effect of the flood on the people.

•Photo by Bripin Enarusai shows Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (2nd left), Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Barr. Ernest Ogwezzy (left), his Environment colleague, Hon John Nani (right), and the Chairman, Oshimili South Local Government Area Hon Uche Osadebe (2nd right), during the Governor’s inspection to the flooded Oko-Amakom in Oshimili South LGA.

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