Bayelsa flood, a major crisis – UN

The United Nations has described this year’s flood disaster in Bayelsa State as a crisis of major proportion that deserves global attention.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria and Representative of the Secretary General, Matthias Schmale, stated this yesterday when he led a delegation comprising officials of the global body, the World Health Organisation and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources on a courtesy visit to Governor Douye Diri in Yenagoa on Saturday.

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Schmale likened the Bayelsa flood situation to the Pakistani floods which attracted global attention.

The UN Coordinator, who had on Friday accompanied Governor Diri on his tour to some flood-impacted communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, said his visit was a response to the letter from the governor and called for attention to address the devastating effect of the flooding.

He also stated that the UN will advocate and mobilize resources for the recovery phase to enable victims return to their normal lives.

He stressed that it was disheartening that lives, livelihoods and assets had been lost to the flood and called on the federal government and the international community to join hands to support what was left of the immediate response and recovery phases.

“I think the next would be recovery, and we will think through with United Nations team what we can do to advocate and mobilize resources for the recovery phase as people are able to get back to their normal lives,” he said.

Responding, Governor Douye Diri thanked the UN Secretary General for sending his Rep to the state at a time it was in need of help.

He said there was a clear difference between sitting in Abuja and coming personally to feel the impact and pains of the people, which the UN had demonstrated.