Flooding: FG directs NDDC to repair damaged East-West Road

Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has directed the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, to repair sections of the East-West Road damaged by floods.

The minister also lamented the devastating effects of the floods on Bayelsa State, where thousands of people have been displaced from their homes.

Sylva, who visited parts of Bayelsa State to see the level of damage done to various communities, including Tombia, Igbogene and Ox-Bow Lake internally displaced persons (IDP) camps all in Yenagoa, described the development as ‘unbelievable’

He also visited the Okogbe/Ahoada axis of the East-West Road in Rivers State to see the damage done to the road. He said Federal Government has directed the NDDC and the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry to expeditiously repair the road for easy access.

“The devastation is unbelievable and, of course, you know we stand with the people. I have come all the way from Abuja with a message from the FEC that we have given directives to the NDDC and the Niger Delta Ministry to ensure that they repair this road and complete it expeditiously.

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“This is beyond what we are talking about. As we stand here we know the water is receding, but the water will come back in a few months. We must look for a permanent solution otherwise we have not done anything.

“We have to come together as a people, we have to leave our political difference aside. We are not here to campaign at all, this is not about any political party, this is about Nigeria and the well-being of Nigerians and that’s the only reason the federal executive council has already taken steps to ensure that this problem is resolved.”

At the Ox-Bow Lake IDP camp, he empathised with the people saying, “As I came here, what I have seen with my eyes is very bad, the condition of our people is absolutely deplorable. We should not always politicise everything.

“This is beyond politics. When the flood comes, it doesn’t know the house of an APC or PDP man. So as Bayelsans, we must come together and solve this problem.”