Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Council said it has selected four centres as proposed site for Internal Displaced Person camp in case the area suffered another round of flooding this year.
The Local Government Area suffered massive flooding in 2012 and 2018, following the overflowing of the River Niger through the Urashi River.
Earlier this month, the Hydrological Services Agency predicted that ONELGA would be one of the Local Government Area in Nigeria that would suffer flooding due to high rain fall intensity next month.
Last week, the Secretary to Rivers State Government Tammy Danagogo met with the Local Government Chairman, NEMA officials and Permanent Secretaries of concerned Ministries in Port Harcourt and urged them to take proactive measures to tackle the situation.
In an interview with our reporter, chairman of ONELGA Emergency and Flooding Management Committee Kingsley Eleta said the council chairman Victor Odili approved the four centres on a high land across the three zones of the Local Government Area.
” having been aware of the prediction, the chairman approved four centres as IDP camp across three major zones of Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area. We have one camp at Omoku, one in Egbema, one in Ndoni North and the other one in Ndoni South. We have two in Ndoni because it will be always difficult for the people from Ndoni South, that is the Anieze side to access the Ndoni town during the flood. So we are completely ready” he said.
Kingsley Eleta also said that the ONELGA Emergency and Flood Management Committee has increased awareness campaign among residents of the Area. Adding that plans have been concluded for adequate feeding and medical care for displaced persons if the flood comes as predicted.
” we have equally enlightened the people in case there is any flood. Once you see the thing coming, you have to move to a better secured place where the water will be less, and if it persist, you have to relocate to the IDP camp. And we are thinking of a stakeholders meeting, where the chairman will also address the people.
The doctor in charge of health in ONELGA is the Secretary of the Committee. So he has also with his experience told us all the things that is needed, both drugs and materials that will assist us during the management of flood ” he stated.
