A REPLY TO ADIYA FAROUQ’S UNFORTUNATE UTTERANCES By Hon. Prof. Steve Azaiki Member, Nigerian House of Representatives, Yenagoa/Kolokuma-Opokuma Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State.

The recent statement made by Sadiya Farouq, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, is rather unfortunate. She claimed at a media briefing that Bayelsa was not among the 10 states worst impacted by the flood. She neglected the empirical evidence and proceeded to rank the states according to data she had imagined. She was blindsided by prejudice and carelessness.

Of course, her ranking is meant to support her decision on which states to be given relief materials and which states to neglect. That might explain her overlooking of Bayelsa State in the response by the Federal Government to the plight of flood victims. She stated at the media forum that 44 centres have been established across the country for the purpose of sheltering persons displaced by the flood. No such centre was established in Bayelsa State. Also, the state did not receive any relief material from the Federal Government. The state is largely left to fend for itself, because the Federal Government has reached the conclusion that there is no disaster to necessitate any intervention.

A minister that should be on tour, assessing the extent of damage caused by the flood, remains in the comfort of her office to produce data that is not supported by the reality on ground. Meanwhile, visitors to the state, who gained entrance only through aircraft, are expressing alarm at the level of disaster the state is facing. Since Sadiya Farouq would not visit the state to see things for herself, she needs to be informed.
Bayelsa is the major exit point for the waters of both the River Niger and the River Benue, making it prone to flooding from excess water coming from upstream. Mindful of this situation, the World Environmental Foundation for Africa (WEFFA), the NEMA and the HiMET had, prior to the flood, named it as one of the states to be heavily impacted by the flood. Minister Sadiya Farouq disregarded this warning.

When the flood eventually arrived, about 80% of the entire landmass of the state was covered in water, whole communities were sacked, farmlands were damaged, businesses were destroyed, and public infrastructures were knocked out. Portions of the East-West Road, which connects the state to Delta State and Rivers State and the rest of the country, were washed off, and the road became impassable. The people were trapped! Hardly any food could be produced from within the state and no food could be brought in from outside. Even cooking gas is no longer available because supply channels are no longer open.

The people are facing starvation! At a point, a litre of PMS sold for N1,000. The result of all this was a skyrocketing inflation that sent the cost of a measure of garri from N1,000 prior to the flood to N2,500 during this period. Sadiya Farouq is unaware of these things happening within her ministerial mandate!

The flood was so bad houses were washed away and people died. People had to move around in canoes, sleep in canoes, and cook in canoes. Rooftops became emergency sleeping places for some people. The human cost is high! But Sadiya Farouq does not know!

On Thursday the 3rd of November, I visited Yenebebeli, Ikolo and Yenaka communities, and I found people still having to use canoe or wade through water to get to their houses. On Friday, I visited King Bubaraye Dakolo of Ekpetiama Clan, and he told me people died. I also visited King Funpere Gabriel Akah in Gbarain Clan, and he told me people died. Today, Saturday the 5th, I visited King Nionio of Zarama, but we could not access the Biseni and Okordia areas because the floodwaters are still at window levels. But Sadiya Farouq does not know.

Though some of these incidents may have occurred in some other states, it is unlikely that any other state was cut off and isolated from the rest of the country. In a natural disaster of this magnitude when there is mass restiveness and anxiety, when people are in desperate search for relief, the inter-state comparison made by the minister is unwarranted and insensitive and her disregard of Bayelsa State uncharitable. She should rather be focusing on how to get help to those in real need, not engaging in divisive utterances.

The government needs to caution this minister and get her to be more responsible in the discharge of her duties.