Row over humanitarian minister’s comments on Bayelsa flood

•State govt, PANDEF flay Farouq, accuse FG of abandonment •Govt committed to welfare of all Nigerians – Buhari

The Bayelsa State Government yesterday slammed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Sadiya Farouq, over alleged spurious claim that the state is not one of the 10 most impacted states by the 2022 floods.

The Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mr Ayibaina Duba, who spoke on behalf of the state government, said the minister’s claim was disheartening but not surprising.

In a statement issued in Yenagoa, Duba said the slow response to the humanitarian crisis arising from the flood despite President Muhammadu Buhari‘s directive for her to come to the aid of the state was indeed a confirmation of the state government’s belief that the Federal Ministry and its agencies had abandoned their responsibility and were not interested in managing the disaster

The commissioner said the Minister was already turning into part of the disaster she was appointed to manage, stressing that she had earlier claimed that only four local government areas of the state were impacted by the unprecedented floods.

He said Farouq was obviously relying on a bogus data in contradiction of the clear reality that every local government in the state is impacted by the floods in varying degrees.

Duba said: “The way the minister has treated our state is so unfortunate that our people are beginning to doubt that we are a part of Nigeria.

“She sat comfortably in Abuja to determine the most flooded!

“Is it not curious that since the devastation occasioned by the floods occurred a month ago, no representative of the Federal Government has visited our state to assess the situation?

“The Federal Government has not shown the minutest of empathy since this monumental devastation hit our state.

“And we are asking, is Bayelsa State still part of Nigeria? Are we only important when it is time to exploit the resources in our land?

“If the humanitarian minister is sincere, let her tell Nigerians the relief materials brought to the state and who received them.

“The Minister and indeed the Federal Government are not fair to our people who have undergone trauma of losing loved ones, homes and livelihood.

“In fact, the minister’s bogus data with which she came to the conclusion that Bayelsa was not even one of the ten most impacted contradict basic science, common sense, concern and kindness.

“How can a state up North, Jigawa, be worst impacted when indeed Bayelsa State has the unfortunate responsibility of receiving the flood water that ran through more than 15 states?”

Duba said the data used by the federal ministry to arrive at the conclusion was suspect and erroneous, wondering how it was arrived at and whether she just sat in an office and conjured figures.

He said by the reality on the ground, over 300 communities were impacted by the flood and almost a million people were displaced from their homes, many of them losing their livelihood, in Bayelsa State, noting that no other state in the federation was so impacted.

The commissioner said if the Minister was desirous of doing a good job, she should leave her cozy office in Abuja and come to Bayelsa State to ascertain the truth, even as the flood began to recede.

Minister not fit to occupy position, says PANDEF

Speaking in similar vein, the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, hit back at the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, saying she is not fit to occupy the position.

In apparent response to her comment that Bayelsa State was not in the top ten of states devastated by flood, PANDEF in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson, berated the minister, saying she spoke out of ignorance.

Robinson said: “Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has berated the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, for her recent cynical comments on the 2022 flood situation in the country.

“The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs was ignorant enough to announce during the recent weekly Ministerial Briefing on Thursday that Jigawa State is ranked as the most affected state in the country and that Bayelsa State is not even among the ten (10) worst affected states. This is a brazen assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians and an attack on logic. It is indeed provocative.

“The Minister who was reacting to questions raised by Elder Statesman and PANDEF National Leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, over the federal government’s lackadaisical attitude towards states affected by the flood disaster, especially in the Niger Delta, and perhaps irked by his patriotic observations, decided to throw caution to the wind and descended into the gutters of absurdity.

“The parameters adduced by the Minister in arriving at her reckless conclusions are morbid and ridiculous; it is this kind of “upside-down” thinking that has pummeled Nigeria to its present dire state.

“PANDEF is worried that the Minister’s assertions could heighten the feelings of alienation and dissension in the country. Her remarks have been greeted with spontaneous reactions and widespread condemnation across the Niger Delta, particularly Bayelsa State, where the government and the people have been grappling with the massive devastation caused by the floods.

“PANDEF notes that the Minister had earlier claimed that only four Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State were impacted by the unprecedented flood.

“The crass irrationality displayed by Sadiya Umar Farouq makes her unfit for the office of Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She should, therefore, resign immediately or be sacked.”

Robinson wondered how a state up North, like Jigawa, could be worst impacted when indeed Bayelsa State has the unfortunate responsibility of receiving the flood water that ran through more than 15 states.

He added: “PANDEF concedes that the floods had ravaged several states of the country, however, it has been admitted by those entrusted with knowledge on this matter, including experts from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Nigeria Meteorological Services Agency, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency and intellectuals that the States of the Niger Delta, being the final point where all flood water gathers, are most impacted and submerged.

“As a matter of fact, in a State such as Bayelsa, almost every part was reportedly submerged and people in most communities were helplessly displaced. For a period now going on to one month, entire communities are under water, tens of people dead, millions of people displaced and unquantifiable levels of farmlands, fish farms and properties destroyed, and schools have closed.

“From first-hand reports, the Bayelsa State has been cut off from the rest of the country because the ravaging floods had cut off the East-West Road on the Patani axis from the West at 2 spots and the East at 3 spots on the Mbiama – Ahoada axis, making it impossible for commuters to ply the road. Today, Bayelsa State can only be accessed via the waterways or by air.

“What is most shocking is that despite the great publicity on the destruction caused by the floods, our President, the “Father” of the Nation, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, has refused to visit the affected States in the country, and it would appear, has no interest at all to do so, to show empathy and give succour and moral boosting to our people.

“Sadly, neither the Vice President nor the Senate President, Speaker House of Representatives or Secretary to the Government of the Federation has found it necessary to even make a casual visit.

“Worse even, the Minister of Water Resources or the “almighty” and untouchable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development or their colleague, the Minister of Environment, whose ministries have direct relevance to the situation, have not thought it fit to visit the affected communities in the Niger Delta.  This is shocking and nearly unbelievable.”

FG committed to well-being of all Nigerians – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday assured all Nigerians, especially those that have suffered loses to recent floods, that his administration remains fully committed to their welfare and well-being at all times.

This was as the federal government disclosed that the worsening effect of climate change, especially as it continues to increase flood volumes in the country, is ultimately increasing the number of internally displaced persons by about 40%.

President Buhari, who spoke at the National Day for Displaced Persons (IDPs) held at the Conference Centre of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, regretted the devastating effects of the floods, which have resulted in the displacement of millions of people, the destruction of vast amounts of property, farmlands and infrastructure.

The event was a national celebration, dedicated to celebrating people in the country who have been displaced by both man-made and natural disasters.

The President, who was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to helping all internally displaced persons by offering them long-lasting solutions that guarantee their rehabilitation, reintegration and resettlement back into society

While commending the resilience of IDPs in the country, Buhari recalled that it was the increasing incidences of forced displacement, resulting from ethnic, religious, economic and boundary conflicts, natural and man-made disasters and their attendant massive destruction to lives and property, that compelled his administration to embark on a search for durable solutions through the drafting and signing of a National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons by FEC in 2021.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the reality before us validates the choice of celebrating the National IDP’s day. Our gathering today is to raise awareness on the plight of IDPs in Nigeria by recognising their courage and resilience while ensuring their participation in society and relevant decisions that affect them and promote their empowerment.

“Like never before, this year’s celebration has offered us the opportunity as a nation to publicly and symbolically demonstrate our solidarity with our brothers and sisters who have lost their livelihood, their homes and even their loved ones to displacement.

“Building on that, the Colloquium holding today will be a veritable opportunity for stakeholder’s both state and non-state actors including the private sector to understand the measures and strategies put in place to achieve the objectives of the IDPs policy document to better mitigate, protect and ultimately achieve durable solutions for Internally displaced persons in Nigeria in line with the whole of government and whole of society approach to durable solutions of the Commission”, he said.

He commended the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development for their active role in the coordination of national and international humanitarian interventions by ensuring strategic disaster mitigation, preparedness and response as well as management of the formulation and implementation of fair focused social inclusion and protection programmes in Nigeria.

He also saluted the conveners of the event, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and their partners for their consistency and effort in providing protection and assistance to displaced persons across the country.

In her goodwill message, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq said the recent flood was a “sad global phenomenon as a result of climate change, which has also doubled the number of displaced persons nationwide and globally.”

She reassured all Nigerians that the Federal Government was prepared to do everything possible to mitigate the impact of this natural disaster while providing succor to ensure that citizens were able to rebuild their lives.

The minister, who said efforts were on-going on the domestication of the Kampala Convention, which is long overdue, added that this would further entrench the appropriate legal and regulatory infrastructure for the protection of refugees and IDPs as well as the promotion of their welfare in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Imaan Ibrahim, who also spoke at the event, disclosed that the increasing effect of climate change, particularly the debilitating effect of flood across the country, has resulted to about 40 per cent increase in the figure of IDPs.

According to her, the floods have increased the number of displaced persons to about 5 million from 3.4 million, as contained in 2021 Displacement Tracking Matrix, carried out by (UNHCR) Matrix Index as well as the International Organization of Migration (IOM).

She said this has led to significant loss of many lives, properties and livelihood.

Speaking on the Commission’s Exit Camp Strategy, the National IDPs Policy, the implementation plan of the IDP Policy, the national action on durable solutions and domestication of the Kampala Convention, she said will support the drive towards the provision of durable solution.

“You know that kind of problem we address is something that is reoccurring, hence the need for that coordinated approach. But what I will like to assure you is the commitment of the federal government to ensure that we work hand in hand with the POCs so that we can address all the issues of concerns and so that we can ensure their total rehabilitation, integration and resettlement. It’s work in progress, but we have a grip of the situation”, she said.

The highlight of the event was the conferment of awards to outstanding Nigerians among them is the ED/CEO, Dr Faisal Shuaib, an “Award of Recognition for providing Health Care to Persons of Concern during the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccination against the virus.”

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