By Sandra Kenneth
Mounting floodwaters across the Orashi region of Rivers State have forced local farmers into premature harvests, raising fears of severe economic losses and imminent food scarcity across the state.
Torrential rainfall in recent weeks has submerged vast swathes of farmlands, swallowing investments worth millions of naira. Frustrated agricultural workers say the recurring seasonal disaster threatens their primary source of livelihood year after year.
“We spend huge sums on fertilizer every planting season, but just as we prepare to reap the fruits of our labor, the floods sweep in and destroy everything,” one affected farmer lamented. “We urgently need the government to match words with action by desilting and evacuating major canals and rivers in our communities.”
RIVERS MONARCH CALLS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF SEMA TO ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEED OF THE PEOPLE.
The crisis has drawn sharp reactions from traditional leadership in the affected axis. Speaking with our reporter, the King of Upata Kingdom in Ahoada East Local Government Area, His Majesty Felix Otuwarikpo, called for the immediate establishment of a dedicated Rivers State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to address localized disasters.
King Otuwarikpo criticized the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), asserting that the federal body has consistently failed to meet the peculiar needs of communities in the Niger Delta.
“NEMA does not address the needs of minorities in the South-South—I say this with facts and figures compared to what obtains in other parts of the country,” the monarch stated.
“A state-level SEMA would make it far easier to communicate our challenges and receive swift intervention.
In its absence, community leaders are left to manage massive flood crises as isolated local problems, which is unsustainable.”
Beyond emergency relief, the monarch urged the state government to build additional Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps to handle the annual overflow of displaced residents.
He also advocated for policy measures to ensure education and healthcare services remain uninterrupted during flood periods.
To mitigate the current gap in public services, King Otuwarikpo disclosed that the Upata Traditional Council is reactivating its internal flood committee.
He said “plans are also underway to recruit volunteer teachers and healthcare personnel to serve in temporary camps should displaced families be forced from their homes during the academic term.
CSO CALLS ON GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS TO STRENGTHEN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MECHANISM
The International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR) has expressed deep concern over the persistent flooding across Rivers State, which continues to claim lives and destroy property.
The advocacy group chancellor Omenazu Jackson urged state and local government authorities, along with relevant environmental agencies, to urgently bolster environmental protection mechanisms and enforce existing laws to mitigate the suffering of vulnerable residents.
Call for Civic Responsibility and Strict Enforcement
Beyond institutional intervention, the organization emphasized that citizens share the responsibility of protecting their environment. The group criticized the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainage channels, describing it as a primitive practice that severely obstructs natural water flow and exacerbates flooding.
To address this issue, the society advocated for a two-pronged strategy:
Strict Enforcement: Rigorous implementation of environmental sanitation laws to deter illegal waste disposal.
Public Awareness: Sustained civic enlightenment campaigns to educate residents on proper waste management and flood prevention.
Demand for EIA on Bori Camp Sandfilling
Highlighting specific urban development concerns, the group called on the Rivers State Government and the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council to immediately engage military authorities regarding ongoing sandfilling activities around Bori Camp.
The right group insisted that large-scale land must undergo a thorough technical evaluation and a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to determine its effect on the regional drainage system and prevent further ecological damage.
