Bayelsa flood victims laud First E & P for donation

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Some residents impacted by the recent flood disaster on Wednesday expressed satisfaction and gratitude to “First Exploration and Production (First E & P)” for sending relief items directly to victims.

First E & P, an indigenous oil firm which operates Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 83 and 85 in a joint venture with NNPC, donated N170 million worth of relief items to Bayelsa flood victims.

The oil firm had identified 48 internally-displaced persons (IDP) camps across the state and got their leaders to deliver the items directly to beneficiaries.

Princess Elizabeth Egbe, Executive Director, Global Care Rescue Mission said that the impact of the N170 million intervention is being felt across the state.

She explained that Global Care Rescue Mission, a non-governmental organisation that focuses on the rights of indigent, neglected children and the disabled, has been distributing food and non-food items for the past two days as specified by the donors.

According to her, most of the beneficiaries are getting relief materials for the first time as other donors did not capture them.

“The company was very meticulous and provided for people living with disability who do not have the strength to struggle with able-bodied persons and dealing directly with the victims was an effective strategy.

“The template they used is effective and impactful and should be adopted by other entities, look at the happiness on the faces of the people, over 44,000 flood victims got the items and it is verifiable. That made all the difference.

“They got the names and telephone numbers as part of the database created by the company, so there is no way anyone can divert it, and we commend them,” Egbe said.

Mr James Diebu, a beneficiary from Igbogene area of Yenagoa, also expressed appreciation to the oil company for the gesture.

DSP Konyeifa Austin, from Mechanic Road camp in Yenagoa, recalled that most displaced people were also victims as criminals made away with valuables they left behind. He said that the materials would ameliorate the sufferings faced by the people as the flood recedes.