PAP boss Ndiomu suspends engagements in N’Delta in empathy with flood victims

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The ongoing devastating flood in Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta has compelled the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd), to indefinitely suspend his scheduled stakeholders’ engagement.

Ndiomu confirmed on Saturday that he was already on his way to the venue of the stakeholders’ meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, when he discovered that the flood had taken over the road to Bayelsa.

In a statement signed on Saturday by his Special Assistant, Media, Mr Thomas Peretu, the PAP boss sympathised with victims of the flood across the Niger Delta region.

Describing the devastating flood as sad, Ndiomu said it was pathetic that people had been displaced from their homes, farmlands and other sources of livelihood.

He said: “It’s a thing of deep regret and sympathy. I sympathise with the government and the good people of the affected states. We have all seen the very devastating effect of floods. Roads, settlements, and communities have been washed away. Quite a few have died in the process. It is most unfortunate, may their souls rest in perfect peace.

“We grieve with the families who have lost loved ones and I believe the government is doing something about it, we on our part will try within the limits of what we can provide to assist with relief materials as part of our corporate social responsibility to the people.

“Coincidentally I am from Bayelsa as well, so it is, indeed, a very sad moment for me. My people are involved in this. I feel bad but we will do the best we can to show support and ensure that some relief and succour comes to the people who are badly affected by this flood.

“The flood forced me to postpone our stakeholders’ engagement in Yenagoa. I am calling on interventionist agencies to up their game by making available more relief materials for the victims. They should also set up proper IDP camps”.

Ndiomu who lamented that some of the PAP training centres in the region were also affected by the disaster, also called on state governments in the region to close ranks and work together to mitigate the effect of the disaster and also prepare ahead of time for future occurrence.

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Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd)