Fear Grips Royal Fathers in Bayelsa Over Unprecedented Flood Havoc . Send SOS to FG, International Organisations for urgent aid

By Inegbagha Majesty

 The Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, the apex body of royal fathers in the state have been living in fear over the unprecedented havoc the 2022 flood unleash to the people which damaged their main source of livelihood and posed unbearable hardship.

The Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo Agada IV, Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama.

 Addressing a Press conference in Yenagoa on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo Agada IV, Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom  said, the royal fathers have observed that not only did the 2022 flood unleash unparalleled havoc in Bayelsa state and beyond, but it also opened the floodgates of ignorance on the subject of the misery flood waters could unleash on people who live on accurate lowlands adjacent the mighty Atlantic ocean.

Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers  Council Addressing a Press conference in Yenagoa on Tuesday.

The royal father lamented that “this type of calamity had never befallen our people” added that, “we had never imagined that this degree of extreme insensitivity and lack of interest would be displayed with respect to the survival and welfare of our peace loving people who are all fellow citizens.”

 King Dakolo asserted emphatically that there is a looming post flood infirmities in the state “if the Federal Government’s complimentary mitigation efforts remain obviously absent, conspicuously low or conspicuously insufficient.”

Noting that over 90 per cent of members of the council had their kingdoms submerged did “not mince words in condemning the complete absence of agents of statutory Federal Government Agencies and Ministries saddled with the job of rendering assistance in our domains at times such as these.”

Highlighting the devastating effects of the flood, he said “Private properties such as houses, cars, farms and businesses worth multiples of billions of Naira have been destroyed and their owners displaced by this deluge of unprecedented monumental proportions.

“Since all the farms in Bayelsa State; crops and animals alike, have been completely destroyed, and the road accesses leading to the state also destroyed, thus isolating the state completely from the rest of the country for weeks and still counting, prices of the few goods that survived the deluge in the State have skyrocketed worsening the precarious plight of Bayelsans who are Nigerian citizens.

“Experts say it would cost multiples of billions of Naira to reconstruct the portions of the East West Road, a Federal Government Road, that were destroyed by the flood. And until that is properly done the State would remain cut-off from the rest of the country, and goods and services would be procured only at extremely high prices as they are currently being procured at extremely high prices when found.

“Major Federal Government and State infrastructure in and around the State, such as roads, electricity, bridges, have been badly damaged isolating Bayelsa State from the rest of Nigeria.

The royal father therefore called on the Federal Government and International organisations to come to the aid of the people and the state government to make life meaningful.

“The situation in Bayelsa is dire! The disaster will require multiples of billions of Naira to fix. The traditional rulers cannot do it. The state government cannot do it alone. The Bayelsa State Government does not have the funds to do it alone. So, the Federal Government has to take front stage in the post flood reconstruction of the State and post flood rehabilitation of Bayelsans who are Nigerian citizens too.

“We wish to call on Local and International Humanitarian Organizations, and philanthropists to come and lend a helping hand to the State Government in this battle for survival of the flood ravaged people of Bayelsa State.”

Answering question from a journalist, King Bubaraye Dakolo rebutted claims that the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and its Joint Venture (JV) partners has delivered relief materials to the flood victims in Bayelsa State.

Journalists.

He added that the flood water has not only exposed the insincerity of International Oil Companies (IOCs) but the negligence of the Federal Government towards oil producing states that were ravaged by the flood.

 “We also need not reiterate that our kingdoms and clans, our flood ravaged kingdoms and clans, constitute crude oil blocs owned by persons and business concerns which regrettably, we do not own.

“Even though the gas flares are still burning-hot in our kingdoms despite the overwhelming floodwaters, today’s press conference would border on a subject that may not seem connected to oil and gas beyond the oil and gas monies used for governance.

“I am referring to monies with which to provide succour and welfare for the teeming number of Bayelsans who are internally displaced citizens of Nigeria, having been ravaged by the most devastating flood ever.

“We the royal fathers of Bayelsa State, have observed that not only did the 2022 flood unleash unprecedented havoc in Bayelsa State and beyond, it also opened the floodgates of ignorance on the subject of the misery floodwaters could unleash on a people who live on the flat arcuate lowlands adjacent the mighty Atlantic Ocean.

“We believe, and strongly so, that the misinformation we have been confronted with this season, may have directly led to the observed extremely slow, and almost shameful response by statutory agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the plight of the over one million victims of the 2022 flood disaster in Bayelsa State.

“Giving the wrong public perception of this year’s flood which is unarguably the worst ever to occur in the lives of the Ijaws of Bayelsa State, and perhaps others too, it has become absolutely necessary for the Royal Fathers of the State to speak out loud, so as to straighten the crooked records, and above all, jolt all concerned to do the work for which they are paid.

“Pitiably there is no evidence yet about any intervention from the oil industry to the flood ravaged people of Bayelsa State also. Could it be that they also wished us all dead? Well, being natural swimmers, though distressed and displaced like never before, most us are still alive!