Delta South Senatorial candidate of the New Nigerian People’s Party, NNPP, Commodore Omatseye Nesiama (Rtd) has visited flood victims at Igbide and Ofagbe communities in Isoko South and Isoko North Local Government Areas of the state to donate relief materials to them to cushion the effects of the ravaging flood.
Among the items donated to the flood victims were bags of garri, bags of rice, loaves of bread, tuber of yams, sugar, bags of salt, indomie noodles, spaghetti, detergents and toiletries, onion and pepper pastes, biscuits and power oil.
Addressing newsmen, Commodore Nesiama urged politicians and well-meaning individuals to put politics aside and render help to the flood victims who are suffering.
Commodore Nesiama who was flanked by the NNPP Delta State House of Assembly candidate for Isoko North Constituency, Dr Daniel Uroghome, also called on the Federal and Delta State Governments to immediately put in place measures to mitigate the perennial flooding with its devastating effects on the people.
He said, “The people should find succour. People should be able to eat, get shelter, IDP camp should be opened for free”.
Commodore Nesiama noted the huge loss to the people occasioned by severe flooding saying, “right behind us is a boat conveying a corpse from the village that cannot even get to the morgue. They are just trying to make arrangements to see how that can happen”.
While expressing shock at the level of damages inflicted by the flood on the people in the two communities, Commodore Nesiama said, “The magnitude of this flood, I did not know, as it did not get to me until I got this place, here to see for myself. I was on my way to Igbide to sympathize with the people.
“Unfortunately, as you can see for yourself, we could not drive through this water. This is a main road, it’s not a pathway, and we couldn’t drive through. The chairman of the party has to come by canoe to get here and we have been advised clearly that we can’t get there with a vehicle.
“That even with the boat it will take us two hours to get there because there are no speed boats, it has to be paddle. And we have things that we want to give to those people in distress.”
Delta State NNPP chairman, Chief Friday Efetobor, who received the relief materials on behalf of the Igbide people, called on the Federal and State Governments to come to their rescue.
He said, “We need help from them. We need rescue now. You can see my village people, they are here”.
Chief Efetobor appreciated Commodore Omatseye Nesiama for the donation of relief materials to the flood victims.
“So, let me appreciate the incoming senator at least your message will get to my people in my village. I want to appreciate you so much. Thank you very much for your rescue, God bless you.”
Two of the flood victims from Ofagbe Community, Baby Oviemuno and Bright Atara also appreciated Commodore Omatseye Nesiama for the donation of the relief materials to them.
They said the flood wreaked havoc in the community stressing virtually all the buildings and farmlands were destroyed living them in hunger and forcing them to relocate from their homes.
The Chairman of Ofagbe Community, Alhaji Musa Bob Oviemuno, who received the relief materials from Commodore Omatseye Nesiama said many buildings in their community were submerged by the flood.
Alhaji Oviemuno who was flanked by the Vigilante Chairman of Ofagbe Community, Onyema Jerry also appreciated Commodore Nesiama and his entourage for their visit as well as the donated relief materials to the flood victims in their community.
Our Correspondent who monitored the activities reports that indigenes of the two communities have deserted their homes as flood ravaged their buildings.
The NYSC Corpers lodge, Gospel Church of Christ, Oketa mixed Grammar School and the Ofagbe District Customary Court were amongst buildings completely submerged in Ofagbe community.
The Ebe Primary School in Ovrode Community, a nearby community leading to Ofagbe was also ‘swallowed’ by the ravaging flood.
Accessing the communities is with the use of speed boats which cost one thousand naira per passenger.