From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Flood victims in Bayelsa State are gradually returning to their homes following the receding of floodwaters in most affected communities.
The Bayelsa State Government had postponed the resumption of schools to allow the floodwaters to recede fully before classes resumed.
Investigations in flood-hit communities, including Biseni and Okordia-Zarama in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Adagbabiri in Sagbama Local Government Area, and Otuasega and Imiringi in Ogbia Local Government Area, reveal that displaced residents are returning to rebuild their lives.
In Biseni, a victim, Mr Solomon Ogiama, described the harrowing experience they endured during the floods and called for the dredging of the Rivers Niger and Orashi, as well as the de-silting of Taylor Creek, to mitigate future flooding.
The paramount ruler of the Ikarama Community in the Okordia clan, Chief Wariebi Jonah Bereboseiya, noted that while the flood was not as severe as in 2022, it still caused significant damage, destroying several farmlands. He urged the government to address the issue of dam openings that lead to annual flooding.
In Adagbabiri, the paramount ruler of Adagbabiri Federated Communities, Alaowei Brodrick Okee, lamented that the community has suffered from flood disasters every year from 2012 to 2022. He criticised the government for neglecting the community after each disaster and advocated for the dredging of the upper River Niger as a long-term solution.
The Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), Chief Alagoa Morris, who toured the affected communities, called for sustainable solutions, including the construction of more dams to absorb excess water.
He also emphasised the need for coordinated government efforts to provide relief materials to those impacted by floods and other natural disasters.
Chief Morris, who also serves as the Technical Assistant to the Governor on the Environment, urged the government to fumigate affected communities and schools and to provide medical care for flood victims.