Mr. Udengs Eradiri, Special Adviser to the Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has urged the federal government to work with the commission, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and state governments to address the country’s perennial flooding problem. Eradiri, who appeared on AriseTV’s The Morning Show on Monday, revealed that the commission had just approved the flood remediation action, which would ensure the release of resources and action to assist those displaced by floods.
His expressed concern was that the flood had taken over East-West Road, making it inaccessible, but he is making plans to move Jet Ski to the area to assist people affected by this disaster. “A lot of people have been swept away because of the current that the flood is bringing,” he said. “Some communities have already been submerged, and people are living on the sides of the roads. This is an opportunity for me to urge agencies, particularly NEMA and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, to coordinate their efforts. This is not the time to be reserved due to politics or party affiliation. This is the time for us to bond together in order to save our country and our people. It would have been far-reaching if the states participating in the NDDC had collaborated. I had previously written to the minister informing him of the need to prepare for the flood.”
In compliance that the NDDC is implied to assisting people in the face of disaster, Eradiri stated that the managing director of the NDDC has already approved flood remediation action for the Niger Delta, which comes in various stages such as the medical, humanitarian, and construction aspects of it. “All of these will cost a lot of money,” he said. “President Mohammadu Buhari should take a firm stance on the NDDC issue so that all of these distractions can be removed and we can function normally. The managing director has been reporting to work and ensuring that the NDDC operates in accordance with its mandate. There may be numerous issues, but the commission is not immune to the problems that have plagued Nigeria as a nation.” The special adviser stated that the commission is working tirelessly to address the flood situation; he also reported that when he was commissioner, he addressed the issue. “If we work together, we can tackle this in stages. Bayelsa State is already assisting the people and doing its best.”
According to Eradiri, funds have been approved to manage and repair the flood damage. “I am a special assistant, I have a boss, and I know that he has done that to the department that will deal with the flood within his approval limit. I’m aware that approvals have been obtained, and I was dispatched to assess the situation. I can assure you that these funds will be spent wisely. From the moment we took the oath of office, we became responsible to the people, not just the party; and this responsibility must be carried out effectively and timey.
“The NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Efiong Akwa, will not play politics at the expense of the lives of the people of the Niger Delta as it is a duty that we owe them. I know that the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Efiong Akwa, will not fail in adequately delivering responsibly in these difficult times.”
