The issue of flood in Bayelsa state is not an unusual thing because every winter season in the state, had never escaped visitations by flood to some homes and communities throwing out victims to live like refugees in their own personal homes and towns.
But what had been the main cause or causes of the annual flood that had invaded the people and subjected many of the victims to poverty, sicknesses, diseases and untold hardships. The Federal and State governments according to sources, tried with relief materials, but at a very poor level whereby some of the victims only heard the news of such relief materials, but did not see anything at all to talk about.
Thanks to some corporate bodies and patriotic, philanthropic personalities who donated monies to alleviate the plight of the flood victims.
"The Flood Management Committees of 2012 and 2018 operated in like manner, that is, after getting everything from governments and from corporate bodies and individuals amounting to billions of Naira, they did not show up with enough relief materials as expected. A lot of what they were given to care for the victims the Committees diverted to themselves, that was very bad" they lamented.
The stories of the flood cannot all be told here, but there is a question for the authority in Bayelsa State to answer, and this is the question:
After this year, 2018th flood what is the way forward?
This question has become pertinent because of the yearly damages suffered by flood victims in the state without the authority taken measures to do anything to either ameliorate the suffering of the people or to take steps that will put a stop to the pains of this menace called annual flood.
It has been observed that the flood that ravages the state capital, Yenagoa and other LGAS of the state annually, was caused by the sallowness of the rivers and the poor drainage system in the city and towns. It is also observed that, the flood had washed away many lands belonging to corporate bodies and individuals who now find it difficult to develop such lands in the state that is crying for development.
The way forward should be as follows:
1. Let the State Government embark on canalization projects to address the issue of shallow rivers.
2. Let the State Government embark on land reclamation by dredging and sand filling, low lands.
3. Let the state Government pay strict attention to the drainage system to ensure that water flows freely in the city to appropriate destinations.
4. Let the Federal Government through the appropriate agencies give support to the Bayelsa State Government to address the issue once and for all.
You may give your suggestion, please.
