Bayelsa State Government has sympathized with residents of the state over the impact of the rising flood, assuring that efforts are underway to mitigate its devastating effects on the people.
The government gave this assurance on Wednesday during its 8th Executive Council Meeting presided over by the State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo who stood in for Governor Douye Diri.
A press release by the Deputy Governor’s media aide, Mr. Doubara Atasi, stressed that government is aware of the difficulties being experienced by the people of the state as a result of the flood, which has become a perennial problem due to climate change.
Speaking on behalf of the Governor, Senator Ewhrudjakpo also appealed to Bayelsans to exercise patience with the state government over the inconveniences being experienced as a result of the ongoing expansion of the Etegwe Roundabout.
He said the difficulties being experienced today is a necessary sacrifice that the entire state will benefit from when the project is completed within the shortest possible time.
His words: ” His Excellency wishes to empathize with all Bayelsans, especially those who have been directly and indirectly affected by the ravaging flood. Reports available is that quite a number of our communities are now underwater.
“The government of prosperity is quite aware of the pains you are passing through and so we must all be our brothers’ keepers by walking through this trying times together so that at the end of the day, we will do the best we can to assuage the pains our brothers and sisters are facing now”
“We also want to use this opportunity to empathize with Bayelsans who are having some horrible times as a result of the construction going on at the Etegwe roundabout. It is a temporary set back. So, we want to urge Bayelsans to give us the benefit of the doubt and endure with us”.
On the forthcoming Senatorial Bye-Elections in Bayelsa West and Central Senatorial Districts, the Governor called on the people of the state to shun violence, stressing that politics should unite and not divide us.
He recalled with sadness the blood bath at Nembe in the run-up to the November 2019 Governorship Election and urged the people of the state to avoid a recurrence.
Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Ayibaina Duba said Council directed the Commissioner for Environment in conjunction with a technical team to assess the impact of flood across the state with a view to providing immediate and long term relief from the menace.
Mr. Duba said the State Executive Council has also concluded plans to standardize abattoirs in the state as a means of improving their sanitary conditions and protecting Bayelsans from consuming unhealthy meat.