By Sandra Kenneth
The Rivers State House of Assembly has suspended its plenary session to carry out an immediate on-the-spot assessment of communities hit by devastating floods across the state, demanding swift executive action to mitigate the crisis.
The decision followed a motion of urgent public importance raised on the floor of the House by Deputy Leader Hon. Linda Stewart.
In her presentation, Stewart drew the attention of lawmakers to the widespread destruction caused by rising floodwaters, noting that residential buildings, commercial properties, and critical infrastructure have been severely submerged across several local government areas. She urged the leadership to adjourn formal deliberations to enable members to conduct immediate oversight visits to the most affected zones.
Aligning with the motion, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, expressed deep concern over the escalating impact of the disaster before officially adjourning sitting for the inspection tour.
Speaking to newsmen following an extensive tour of inundated neighborhoods in Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, Amaewhule called on the Rivers State Government to roll out immediate, large-scale relief and intervention measures to protect lives and property.
“The situation requires urgent and serious action from the state government,” Amaewhule stated, assuring residents that the legislature will not fold its arms.
The Speaker further guaranteed that the Assembly will actively interface with relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to ensure robust, long-term engineering and drainage strategies are implemented to prevent recurring flood disasters in the state.
