Remarks At Igbogene IDP Camp, In Bayelsa, After Flood Inspection

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IT IS DUTY OF GOVERNMENT TO CARE FOR CITIZENS, NOT A FAVOUR – VP OSINBAJO

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT IGBOGENE IDP CAMP, YENAGOA, BAYELSA STATE, ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018

“It is the duty of the government to ensure that we take care of that people, it’s not a favor that we do for the people that is the duty of every government.”

“We must ensure that we take care of the people, that is why I’m here with the Minister of Environment, and the Director General of NEMA to take a look for ourselves, to see first hand and to experience first hand what is going on here, so we can understand the type of response and the quality of response that is required.”

Protocols

First, let me say that I am here on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari, who has asked that I pay a visit to Bayelsa state and in particular the place affected by this terrible flood disaster.

As my brother, the Governor has said, coming here, we have been able to see the disaster that has taken place, especially in the Yenagoa Local Government Area. We passed through Ahoada East as well, and saw so many places that are underwater, and submerged. It is a monumental disaster indeed and I wish to express very sincere condolence of the President, and all the people of Nigeria, to you, to say that it is a sad development indeed. We’re glad that we were able to respond as quickly as we were able to respond and I must thank His Excellency, the Governor, and SEMA – State Emergency Management Agency here, and other officials of the government for their very quick and able response.

What we have tried to do is support as much as possible with NEMA – National Emergency Management Agency. As you have heard, NEMA is already here on ground, and they are working very hard with SEMA to ensure that we are able to give as much support and comfort as is possible and that would involve the provision of food, tents, mosquito nets, mattresses and all other aid that you require.

But that is only the beginning; we cannot take care of the emergency and leave the resettlement. In the next few weeks by the grace of God, many here will be returning home, and just as His Excellency, the Governor has said, so many have lost farmlands and means of livelihood, so we have to assist in providing some means of resettlement and that is one of the pledges that we’re going to make today, that we will support the State Government, that we will support all of you in that resettlement effort because that is probably even more important. You are still here, but what is more important is that you are resettled properly.

We want to be able to avoid in the future these kinds of disasters, as you know this happened in 2012, a disaster of this sort of proportions happened in 2012, and it is repeating itself now in 2018. But we must be able to prevent it from happening and there are so many steps that need to be taken.

First, we might need to dredge a lot of the water bodies around here, then we must also stop a situation where solid waste is dumped into estuaries, water bodies because that also affects the situation.

While the Federal Government and State Government work together, to ensure that we dredge and clear the waterways, (and we build the canals that are necessary to direct the water away from living areas where flooding can cover the entire spaces,) it is important also for us who live in these environments, to ensure that we don’t block the drainages, estuaries and waterways so that there will be no flooding.

I have seen here today, so many of our brothers and sisters, in fact, I have seen four or five that have just given birth here in this camp and I know that it requires a great deal of care; a lot of the children here will require a great deal of care. We are committed to ensuring that they are perfect and well cared for and I’m speaking to the governor on what to do and on the ways we can support them in whatever ways possible.

It is the duty of the government to ensure that we take care of the people, it’s not a favor that we do for the people, that is the duty of every government.

We must ensure that we take care of the people, that is why I’m here with the Minister of Environment, and the Director General of NEMA to take a look for ourselves, to see first hand and to experience first hand what is going on here, so we can understand the type of response and the quality of response that is required. We will make sure that we will do our bit, when I get back, we will re-strategize, and I’m also going to have a short meeting with His Excellency the Governor, and the relevant members of his cabinet and be sure that we understand what the problem is and how to deal with the problem.

So, I would like to thank you very much, I see by just going around, the people who are here are obviously going through a lot of stress, after leaving your home. But despite that, the true Nigerian spirit, the true Bayelsa spirit, the people are still able to wave, to smile, to say that all is going to be well and I want to commend you, I want to commend your spirit, the very strong spirit that you have, despite this disaster you are still strong, confident and you still know that all will still be very well.

I want to congratulate you all for all you have done and as the governor said, I’m a Bayelsan also.

God bless you all, thank you very much.