The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, has lamented the plights of victims of the recent flood disaster in the country and urged the federal government to take drastic steps, including dredging rivers and water ways as long-term solution.
Elumelu who visited flood victims at the six Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in his Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, Delta State on Friday doled out cash donations at each of the camps to support their feeding, medication and other urgent essential needs.
The Minority Leader, who was in the company of other notable leaders in the constituency made a total donation of N25 million to the victims while revealing that he had concluded arrangements for the provisions of relief materials for the flood victims, to enable them go back to their various communities when the flood recedes.
Comforting the victims, the Minority Leader, who visited the Ogbuaofu, Oneh and Head Bridge Camps in Asaba, Oshimili South; the Illah and Ugbolu Camps in Oshimili North as well as Ewulu Camp in Aniocha South, stressed that the wellbeing and development of the people will continue to be the center point of his activities as the representative of the people.
Speaking to journalists after the visits, the Minority Leader said that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had always been known to empathise with the plight of the people adding that the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the Vice-Presidential Candidate and Governor of Delta State, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa as well as the PDP Governorship Candidate in the State, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, identify with the victims.
“As you know, the wellbeing of the people is the center point of my activities as the representative of my people. That is also the focus of our party, the PDP and our leaders.
“My Governor, His Excellency, Sen (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa has demonstrated it several times and he continues to do so. As the child of the governor and the representatives of the people, I am always in touch with my people and I am here to support those who are displaced as a result of the natural disaster”, Elumelu said.
The Minority Leader, however, urged the federal government to help to alleviate the suffering of the flood victims as well as take drastic steps to assist the state government to find lasting solution to the problem.
“I am also calling on NEMA, as a matter of urgency, to attend to our resolution in the House of Representatives to send relief materials to our people. The Federal Government should also look for a long-term measure to address the flooding issue in the country and especially in my Federal Constituency.
“The Federal Government should take urgent steps to dredge the River Niger and its tributaries. This will address the problem of perennial flooding and end the suffering of our people. There should be an accelerated intervention in that regard so that as we enter the next rainy season, our people will not have to face this kind of situation,” the Minority Leader said.
The visit was greeted with joy and excitement by the flood victims, including aged men, women, youths and children who prayed for and thanked Elumelu for his gesture.
With the Minority Leader on the visits were a renowned political leader in the State, Chief Nkem Okwuofu, the members representing Aniocha South, Oshimili South and North in the State House of Assembly, the Chairmen of the four Local Government Areas in Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency and PDP House of Assembly Candidates for Aniocha South and Oshimili North, among others.
