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Tag: Eugene Uzum

  • Flooding: Uzum calls for support, commends the media for reportage

    Flooding: Uzum calls for support, commends the media for reportage

    The Director-General (DG) of the Delta State Orientation Bureau, Eugene Azuka Uzum Esq, has called on public-spirited individuals, including philanthropists, civil society organisations and particularly corporate establishments to, as part of their social responsibilities, support the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in the state.

    Uzum made the appeal when he visited the Ogbe-Afor, Onne and Ewulu IDPs camps alongside the state governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa.

    He said that at this critical situation, occasioned by the ravaging flooding in some parts of the state, there was the need to lend a helping hand to mitigate the unfortunate situation and ensure the welfare of the flood victims in the camps.

    He commiserated with the families of a few persons that lost their lives to the flood and prayed for the repose of their souls, even as he enjoined those still residing in the flooded area to relocate upland and ensure that children did not swim or bath in the flood water because of some dangerous animals and reptiles.

    The orientation helmsman commended the media for timely reportage on the flooding and for creating a seamless communication channel between the state government and the people and urged for continuous accurate reporting on the situation to keep both the state government and the people informed.

  • Uzum restates DTSG commitment to mitigate flood menace in Delta

    Uzum restates DTSG commitment to mitigate flood menace in Delta

    The Director General of the Delta State Orientation Bureau, Eugene Azuka Uzum Esq, has reiterated the commitment of the State Government (DTSG) to mitigate the impact of flooding in the state.

    Uzum said the state government had immediately swung into action, following the warning alert from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and other weather forcast agencies on the flood situation in the country.

    Speaking as a guest at the Crown FM 94.7 in Asaba, the state capital, he stated that an all embracing committee, headed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Patrick Ukah, had been set up to manage the flood situation in the state, adding that the orientation bureau had also embarked on vigorous campaign tours to various flood prone communities in the state to sensitise residents and farmers on what to do immediately to forestall loss of lives and farm produce.

    The orientation boss frowned at the attitude of some traditionalists who were unwilling to relocate from their flood prone locations for fear of losing such land, wondering how they could own the land, if eventually, they were vanquished by the flood.

    He said adequate arrangements had been put on ground at the set up internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in the state to ensure the welfare of the displaced persons.

    Uzum used the opportunity to appeal to Deltans and residents in the state to always de-silts drains for free flow of water when it rained, adding that it was unpardonable to erect any structure on natural waterways, thereby, causing blockade of flowing water and resulting in flooding.

    He said that the devasting impact of the 2022 flooding had so far overshadowed that of the 2012 till date, adding that apart from the nightmare of the yearly opening of the Cameroon Dam, the two available dams, Kanji and Shiroro, in Nigeria had become clearly inadequate.

    Uzum maintained that the state government placed high premium on the lives of the people in the state, saying that all hands should be on deck to forestall any death as a result of the flooding, just as he cleared the wrong belief that flooding of some areas was because of the failure of the people to appease the gods as he added that flooding is a natural phenomenon.

  • Flooding: Delta Govt. sounds alarm, urges residents in low areas to relocate

    Flooding: Delta Govt. sounds alarm, urges residents in low areas to relocate

    Delta Government on Friday urged residents in flood-prone communities to relocate to higher planes to avert the impact of ravaging floods in parts of the state.

    The Director-General, State Bureau of Orientation, Mr Eugene Uzum, gave the charge at a news conference in Asaba.

    Uzum said that the state government was concerned about the safety of lives and property of its citizens, particularly those living in flood-prone areas given the  Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s forecast of heavy rains and flooding in the country.

    According to him, Gov.  Ifeanyi Okowa has approved the setting up of the Inter-ministerial Flood and Disaster Management Committee headed by Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah to mitigate the challenges expected by the impending ravaging flood.

    He said the committee was saddled with the responsibility of sensitising the citizens on the impending flood and opening, maintenance and management of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps throughout the state.

    “You will recall that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) have been consistent in their annual flood forecast and this year’s prediction is no exception.

    “As a proactive government, the Delta Government led by Gov. Okowa has taken proactive measures to ensure that there is no loss of lives and minimal damage to property.

    “In 2012 we had flooding that was very drastic across the country of which Delta had its fair share of the challenge and since then it has become a recurring decimal.

    “The 2022 flood forecast is estimated at 3,000mm and 4,000mm and this is very huge compared to what we had in previous years.

    “It’s important to note that the Office of the SSG and the Ministry of Environment have been monitoring the flood levels along River Niger and its tributaries,” he said.

    Uzum, said that the state government was working with local government chairmen, traditional institutions and Presidents-General of communities in the state to further sensitize the people.

    He said the State Orientation Bureau in conjunction with the Ministry of Information have continued to bring up-to-date information on the impending flood to the people.

    “At the moment the water levels have moved up and government has started relocating people to ensure that no loss of lives and minimal damage to property.

    “We encourage our people who are at the low lands to move to upland while crops should be harvested to avoid total loss of agricultural products.

    “Today the floods are here and from available records, it has risen to 3,200mm and 3,400mm and expected to get to 4,000mm based on the forecast of NiMet and other agencies.

    “So what we have done is to take this information to the people because of the challenges of ignorance and cultural beliefs and we are convinced that they would relocate accordingly.

    “The setting up of IDP camps would be based on needs assessment going by the level of flood waters,” Uzum said.