Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State slammed the Federal Government on Monday for issuing flood warnings without taking the necessary precautions.
Diri spoke openly while hosting the leaders of the coastal erosion-ravaged Obogoro community in Yenagoa LGA on a courtesy visit to the Government House.
He bemoaned the high costs of dealing with floods, erosion, and other environmental issues, which states could not handle on their own.
According to him, the majority of the state’s communities have been impacted by constant flooding and erosion.
He said efforts to tackle flooding and erosion have seen his administration set up a flood and erosion control agency, saddled with proffering holistic solutions to the environmental issues.
Diri said: “Erosion affects almost all communities in Bayelsa. That is why we believe this is not a state government problem alone.
“The Federal Government has to come in to play key roles. Federal Government merely issuing warnings or alerts to states is not enough; you know we do not have the resources to tackle this issue. We need the federal and international agencies to support us.”
The governor lauded the leadership of Obogoro for toeing the path of dialogue rather than protest as earlier planned by some persons in the community.
Recall that the Federal Government pitched itself against Bayelsa State when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadia Umar Farouk alleged that the state was one of the list affected in terms of flooding.
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