The Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Bayelsa state Ayiba Duba has assured Bayelsans that the state government was seriously making plans to make sure that the adverse effects of flooding are mitigated.
The commissioner disclosed that already there were some pilot projects on going at both Odi and Sampou communities that will help remedy the situation adding that even in the metropolis plans are also on to avoid the ugly situations that used to arise in the past.
Speaking on Wednesday when the leadership of federated correspondents’ chapel of Nigeria union of journalists led by Tife Owolabi paid him a courtesy call, the commissioner stated that even the security situation of the state is being taken care because according to him a community security corps has been established which he said will tackle most of the security challenges being experienced in the state.
Duba thanked the chapel for identifying with the prosperity government and promised a more robust relationship between the government and the chapel.
He said “Flooding is something that has become part of us. The ministry of environment in partnership with the ministry of works have embarked on some the pilot projects in Odi and Samopou.
“Within Yenagoa metropolis, the ministry of environment is already preparing themselves to see what they can do. We want to see in this flood circle whatever measures that have been taken will be effective. We don’t even need NIMET to tell us because we know where we come from.
“On security there has been a little spike and all these cult activities but you will recall that the community security corps bill was sent to the house of assembly and it was passed into law.
“We have given legal teeth it to bring all the volunteers, the vigilantes and every other community related outfit including doo akpo under one management so that we know that the security situation is coordinated properly with the police and every other security agencies we have in the state.
“The target is to employ about four or five thousand youths into it and the recruitment exercise is ongoing now. Young boys and girls were called upon to apply. What is needed for it to function very well is the manpower which is being recruited.
“All these are done in order for us to have security although you can’t get one hundred percent security because in the society we still see all these things but that does not mean that something should not be done.
“We want to have a proper training on security issues for those that we are recruiting. The volunteers will not just be the volunteers that we know. The vigilantes will not be the vigilantes that we know today. The ones that are working will be coopted into the community safety corps that is coming and I believe that it will go a long way to solve some of the issues and problems that we are having with the security situation in the state.
“I believe personally that these steps being taken will go a long for the state and we will have some sigh of relief security wise.
“This office is an extension of your office and I want to thank the chapel for creating that conducive atmosphere for us to work together as a family and I pledge total support to the chapel.
Earlier the chairman of federated correspondents’ chapel of NUJ, Tife Owolabi had said that the group came to familiarize with the ministry and the commissioner and thanked him for the role he played when one of us had an issue reminding him of the incoming flood and the security situation in the state.
Owolabi said “We want to thank you for the role you played when one of us was kidnapped. We want to see how we can have a robust relationship and synergy with your ministry because media plays a strong role in whatever you are doing.
” We want to work with you as a person and as a ministry. As one of the watch dogs of the society, we want to let you know that the rain is at the corner and people have started feeling the impact. Government should start thinking of how they solve the problem of flooding.“
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