Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Ekpeye Oil and Gas Pipeline Host Families Association has charged multinationals oil companies operating in Ekpeyeland to come to the aid of the people, over the devastating impact of flooding in Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas play host to oil and gas facilities operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Niger Delta Petroleum Resources and Nigerian Agip Oil Company, among others.
Chairman of Ekpeye Oil and Gas Pipeline Host Families Association, Dogini Chidi, lamented that almost every community in the area was completely submerged by the ravaging flood.
Chidi explained that the situation had led to serious humanitarian crisis, ranging from hunger, ill-health, death, pollution and wanton destruction of properties.
According to him, the flood is devastating and has wrecked monumental havoc on the people and the environment, hence the need for oil firms, humanitarian agencies and philanthropic individuals to come to the aid of the affected communities and people.
“It is high time oil multinationals, the government at all levels and other corporate organisations take practical steps to usher in the best mitigating approach and a more enduring methodology to reduce the consequences of perennial floodings on the people.
“I call on Federal Government bodies like NEMA, Ministry of Humanitarian and Disaster Management, as well as other humanitarian agencies saddled with disaster management and humanitarian services to swing into action and provide succour to the victims.
“What my eyes saw today as regards the impact of the flood in Ekpeye Land can not be described. All the communities in Ekpeye Ethnic Nation are affected and lives are lost which at the time been accurate numbers can’t be established pending when families and communities are re-united and actual census is taken to determine the figures. Many dead bodies are seen floating in the waters unidentified and thousands of houses destroyed. The destruction is monumental and devastating.
“Our people need urgent care and attention. My worries is the health challenges already prevalent in the IDP camps. The children, pregnant women and aged ones need special attentions,” he said.
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