According to the Ijaw Youth Council, the Federal Government of Nigeria failed Bayelsa State on Tuesday by failing to adequately address the humanitarian catastrophe brought on by the flood calamity.
This comes as the council has called for the resignation of Sadiya Farouq, the minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management, and social development, for saying Jigawa State was the state of the federation that had been most severely affected by the disaster and that Bayelsa State was not one of the ten worst-affected states.
This information was provided in a statement headlined “Bayelsa flood and the tremendous humanitarian calamity,” which was released on Tuesday by Ebipade Ekerefe, the IYC’s national spokesman.
The group stated, “For one, it is saddening to notice the disagreement, rude remarks, and politicisation of the humanitarian crisis that devoured over 400 villages in the eight local government councils of Bayelsa State. There were more than a million displaced people, including women and children. Losses include farmland, important roadways, lives, bridges, and significant enterprises.
“Secondly, the IYC grew more concerned that the Federal Government, who was supposed to extend a hand of friendship to us, had let us down notwithstanding the request from the Bayelsa State Government and the Governor, Senator Douye Diri.”
The youngsters criticized the minister for not making an effort to travel to the state to personally witness the dreadful condition rather than relying on information they deemed to be “fake.”
The statement continued, “Instead of limiting their disgraceful failure to the delayed sending of relief materials for emergencies and the care of the millions of IDPs, the Minister for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs, Hajia Sadiya Farouq, threw more fuel on the fire by making unwise, ignorant, and provocative statements in an effort to burn the state.
“Instead of helping, as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari, the minister is aggravating the agony of flood victims who have already experienced the trauma of enduring the weather by sleeping outside on rooftops, dugout canoes, and floodwater floors.
“We are aware that she did not make any assessment trips to the problematic state of Bayelsa, yet she rated the flood disaster’s strength as inferior to Jigawa State despite the fact that it claimed hundreds of women, men, and children.
“We wish to join the millions of Niger Delta residents in calling on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development to leave her position as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in light of this flagrant and disgusting misbehaviour and dereliction of duty.”
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Although the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, “showed his capacity throughout this tough circumstances,” the IYC remarked that this was encouraging.
“He went to every affected community, showed sympathy, and helped the people. Every inhabitant of the numerous IDPs visited is fed and the conditions are favourable.
