Gladys Nweke
The Rivers State House of Assembly has said it would invoke relevant sections of the constitution against the chairmen of Gokana and Omuma Local Government Areas if they fail to appear before the committee on environment today.
The two Local Government Chairmen yesterday turned down an invitation by the house to appear before the committee to answer questions on their level of preparedness to the forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency NIMET listing 18 Local Government Areas in Rivers State as flood-prone areas.
Chairman of the environment committee, Hon Dumle Maol, who was peeved by their attitude warned that the Assembly would not condone any attempt to spite it and threatened to invoke sanctions on them if they again fail to appear today.
Meanwhile, chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Area, Hope Ikiriko, has said the council has prepared 4 camps in readiness to resettle flood victims.
The Ahoada West chairman stated this when he appeared before the house committee on environment on Thursday.
The chairman who lamented that most of the internally displaced persons from flood-affected communities in the Local Government reject staying in the camps for fear of insecurity and contracting diseases also disclosed the IDP camps which are mostly situated in schools are most times invaded by strangers who are displaced by flood from neighbouring Bayelsa.
According to the chairmen, the council spent N7m in buying mattresses last year but could no longer find them and appealed to both the State and Federal Government to come to their aid.
On his part, Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government, Victor Ihunwo, who had earlier appeared before the committee said he has secured a two-storey building opposite the Mile 3 park that would be able to harbour 2000 persons who might be displaced by flood
Other Local Government chairmen who appeared include Ogba Egbema Ndoni, Abua Odual, Eleme, Asari Toru and Ahoada East all spoke on how prepared they are to ameliorate the effect of the flood.
The exercise is expected to continue today with Chairmen of Degema, Oyigbo, Bonny, Tai, Emohua, Opobo Nkoro and Ikwerre.
Others include Ogu Bolo, Obio Akpor, Andoni and Akuku Toru.
