N’Delta women ask FG to tackle flooding in region

Ini Billie, Uyo

Niger Delta Women have urged the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the problem of perennial flooding.

The women, who said flood victims struggle to survive and return to their normal lives after every episode of the disaster, asked the government, development partners and financial institutions to provide lasting succour for the victims.

Speaking on Friday in Uyo during the Niger Delta Women’s Day of Action for Environmental Justice, Emem Okon, Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, and convener of the programme said Nigerians in the rural areas, especially women, are most affected by flooding.

Okon stated that the victims of flooding whose livelihoods were destroyed have no means to go back to their livelihood as they have taken loans to farm and invest in businesses which they have lost to the flood.

“We are calling on the government to adopt measures for lasting solutions for flooding. Farmers, and community members every year become displayed by flooding. When the water has receded, they return back to go and struggle to repair their homes and replace the properties that were destroyed.

“How much assistance, how much help is coming from the government, development partners and other financial institutions? People whose livelihoods were destroyed; how do they go back to that livelihood? People have taken loans to farm, and to invest in businesses, but the flood has destroyed them, they have not made any profit from the loan and they still have to pay back the loan.

“All those things can cease; people should begin to pay back the loan and the government should also plan how they can assist those people to recover their lives and properties. Many people have died and a lot are still dying because of the trauma of what they have lost in the flooding” she stated.

Okon noted that government, development agencies, and corporations that have done business in the Niger Delta have made huge profits over the past six decades, as such, there is a need to provide access to clean drinking water.

The Executive Director who said oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta area have destroyed the people’s access to clean drinking water said women particularly are tired of drinking polluted water.

“When we say the call for environmental justice, we are practically telling government, development agencies, the corporations that have done business in Niger Delta and have made huge profits over the past six decades that there is a need to provide access to clean drinking water.

“We are tired of drinking polluted water. A United Nations report said that both surface and underground water in Ogoni land contains poisonous substances 900 times above the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO), that is Ogoni but that represents the situation in several communities in the Niger Delta.

“So, we need access to clean drinking water. It is the primary responsibility of women to manage water services within the home, which is why women are leading the call. We need the clean-up of the polluted environment in the Niger Delta,” she emphasised.