IYC tackle FG over uncharitable conduct towards Bayelsa flood victims

By Adeleye Kunle

The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, has condemned the attitude of the Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development of Nigeria led by Sadiya Umar Farouq towards the plight of over a million displaced persons in Bayelsa State and other Niger Delta states.

According to a statement, sent to Track News, through the National Spokesman of the group, Comr. Ebilade Ekerefe, noted that the Ijaw Youths want to place on record that the delayed response and the derogatory claim by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development of Nigeria is insulting, provocative and inhuman towards the people and Government of Bayelsa State.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development of Nigeria claimed that only Four local government councils out of the Eight Local Government councils of the State are affected. When and where did they gather their data to arrive at such an insulting and derogatory claim?

The statement read in parts “For the avoidance of doubt, and in conformity with independent media reports on the humanitarian flood disaster that ravaged Bayelsa in the last three weeks, all the Local Government were impacted with over a million persons displaced and five other local government areas namely Sagbama, Ekeremor, Ogbia, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Southern Ijaw initially submerged and later communities in Nembe and Brass were also not spared by the flood.