Ijaw group knocks Minister over Bayelsa flood comment

A socio-political organisation under the aegis of Ijaw Monitoring Group has described as reckless and provocative, the statement by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, that Bayelsa is not among the ten states worst affected by floods.

The organisation also demanded an immediate apology from the Federal Government for the comments.

The coordinator of the IMG and rights activist, Joseph Evah, demanded the apology in a statement obtained by journalists in Abuja.

He said, “If we are in a fair and just country, Bayelsa should be number one among the ten worst-hit states because 99 per cent of the state was submerged and the state capital (Yenagoa) was the only state capital that was cut-off from the rest of Nigeria. We wish to remind the Minister that gone are the days when the Niger Delta oil money would be used to find solutions to the country’s problems in other parts, while the source of the funds was neglected with excuses.

“The reason the Minister who made this provocative and embarrassing statement in a federation was not sacked within 72 hours is unacceptable. We expected what happened in advanced countries to happen here when a Minister misbehaves in public.”

The IMG also stated that since the creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, the people of the Niger Delta have not felt the impact of the ministry because of the hostile attitude of the leadership of the ministry.

“The National Assembly members from the Niger Delta should as a matter of urgency request the sacking of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs on the floor of Parliament for insulting our region and its people.”