The Bayelsa government on Friday faulted the ranking of flood impacted states as presented by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

The Minister, Sadiya Farouq, had told State House correspondents that Bayelsa is not among the 10 most impacted states by the 2022 flood.

The minister had listed the death toll, number of buildings, farmlands partially and totally destroyed amongst others as part of criteria used in the assessment.

The Bayelsa government, in a statement signed by its information commissioner Ayiba Duba described the minister’s claim as disheartening and contrary to existing facts. 

Mr Duba regretted the slow response to the humanitarian crisis arising from the flood in spite of the president’s directive to relevant agencies of the federal government to come to the aid of the state.

Mr Duba alleged that the Farouq-led ministry and its agencies have abandoned their responsibility and are not interested in managing the disaster.

“Indeed, the Minister is already turning into part of the disaster she was appointed to manage. She had earlier claimed that only four Local Government Areas of the state were impacted by the unprecedented flood. 

“She was obviously relying on bogus data in contradiction to the clear reality that every local government in the state is impacted by the flood in varying degrees.

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

He wondered which criteria were used to arrive at the ranking since no representative of the federal government has visited Bayelsa to assess the situation.

The Bayelsa government further claimed that the federal government has not shown sufficient empathy since the natural disaster hit the state one month ago. 

“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 minister is sincere, let her tell Nigerians the relief materials brought to the state and who received them,” Mr Duba said.

Mr Duba said the minister and indeed the federal government are not fair to the people of Bayelsa who have been traumatised by losing loved ones, homes and livelihoods.

The commissioner explained that the minister’s data with which she came to the conclusion that Bayelsa was not even one of the 10 most impacted states, contradicts 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? 

“The data used by the Federal ministry to arrive at the conclusion is suspect and erroneous,” he said, indicating by the realities on ground, over 300 communities were impacted by the flood and almost a million people were displaced from their homes, many of them losing their livelihoods.

“And no other state in the Federation is so impacted. If the Minister is desirous of doing a good job, she should come to Bayelsa State to ascertain the truth, even as the flood has started to recede,” Mr Duba said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, on Thursday visited some impacted communities and displaced persons’ camps and called for joint efforts by Bayelsa and the federal governments to assist victims.

Mr Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa, said he was unimpressed with the preparedness of the Bayelsa government, adding that portions of the East-West road, cut off by the floods, would be fixed expeditiously. 

(NAN)