BY EMMA AMAIZE, AUSTIN OGWUDA, EMMA ARUBI, FESTUS AHON & GODWIN OGHRE
ASABA – DELTA State Government, Monday, raised alarm over possible outbreak of famine in the State after the ravaging flood has abated.
The State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan who stated this during an interactive session with journalists in Asaba, condemned the infiltration of some of the camps by suspected hoodlums.
Saying that government would continue to improve on the management of the 18 existing camps, Uduaghan said a supplementary budget was being prepared to address the needs of the 42,271registered victims. He decried that 12 local government areas were affected out of the 25 local government areas in the State.
Naming the 12 local government areas to include; Oshimili South and North, Ndokwa East and West, Ughelli North and South, Isoko North and South, Patani, Bomadi, Aniocha South and Burutu, he said the farmlands of the affected communities have been overtaken by the ravaging flood.
According to him, farmers in the affected communities were being compelled to harvest their farm produce prematurely, disclosing that the State Government was working with the Federal Government on a long term plan to tackle the issue of the flood that has taken its toll in the State.
He said the State Government has employed the services of the Navy to help rescue some of the victims. He however lamented that some of the victims were hesitant to move out of their flood ravaged homes to the camps.
Lamenting that Patani as a Local Government was under water, he said government was striving to meet the needs of the people in areas of feeding and health. He added that adequate security has been provided in each of the camps.
While saying that President Goodluck Jonathan has been supportive, he said a committee was being put in place to be headed by Justice Tabai (rtd) to manage the N500 million released by the Federal Government to assist in ameliorating the sufferings of the victims and also advised government on post camp plan.
Speaking further, the Governor said skill acquisition centre has been introduced in some of the camps for the victims, adding that six football teams have been formed at Institute of Continuous Education, ICE, Asaba with a viewing centre to engage the victims
