FLOODING: BAYELSA SHUTS DOWN SCHOOLS ...BEGINS DISTRIBUTION OF RELIEF MATERIALS
The Bayelsa State Government has
directed immediate closure of all schools in the state as a precautionary
measure to avoid loss of lives in the current flooding in the state.
The decision was reached at the State
Executive Council meeting presided over by the State Governor, the Honourable
Henry Seriake Dickson, who also set up a special committee to facilitate prompt
and effective response to the flood emergency in the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel
Iworiso-Markson, said in a statement on Saturday that the highest decision
making body in the state also directed the Ministry of Health to set up an
emergency health response unit in the state to mitigate the effect of the flood
on the people.
Iworiso-Markson said that the
Emergency Health Response Unit of the
Ministry of Health was designed to monitor and prevent the outbreak of diseases
like cholera during the period covered by flooding in Bayelsa.
According to him, the Director of the
State Emergency Management Agency
briefed the State Executive Council on the flood situation and said that the
agency would kickstart the distribution of relief materials to affected
communities on Saturday.
The commissioner advised the Bayelsa
citizenry not to panic as the government was making all efforts to secure lives
and properties in the state.
He said that a large number of
communities in virtually all the local government areas were seriously affected
by the flooding especially in Ekeremor, Sagbama, Ogbia, Southern Ijaw and indeed
all the eight local government areas.
He said, “The Bayelsa State Executive
Council has directed immediate closure of all schools including private
institutions in the state as a precautionary measure to avoid loss of lives to
severe flooding in the state.
“The Government has also set up a
Special Committee to coordinate activities relating to the flood which has
affected several communities in the state.
“The State Executive Council also
directed the Commissioner for Health to set up an Emergency Response Unit to
monitor and prevent the outbreak of diseases like cholera and others associated
with flooding.
“The Director in charge of SEMA
briefed the State Executive Council on the flood situation and said that the
agency would commence distribution of relief materials on Saturday.
Government is taking all measures to
secure lives and property; the good people of Bayelsa should not panic.”
Ono K. Akpe
Head Media and Events to the Bayelsa
State Governor.
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