AGENE GODWIN, Benin
Member, Representing Etsako Central Constituency, Hon Damian Lawani, has expressed strong concern over the likely outbreak of water borne diseases in the communities affected by flood which had rendered many homeless with farmlands submerged.
This is as the Acting Chairman of Etsako Central local government area, Hon Sunday Charles Eshiesimua, Monday, said the Council had commence distribution of drugs to victims of the affected communities and called the government to come to the aid of the victims.
The lawmaker who spoke to newsmen Tuesday, shortly after he visited the communities also called on the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency, to urgently deploy health workers and drugs to the area and noted that sources of drinking water had been polluted as faeces emanating from underground pit flows freely.
He however added that the situation requires a comprehensive approach by all stakeholders in ensuring that relief materials are urgently deplored to the areas.
Some of the affected communities are Ofukpo, Osumegbe, Udaba, Ekperi, Oghomere and Anegbite.
He said “the affected communities are expecting so much from government and having visited it is even something the state government alone cannot take care of. It calls for a comprehensive approach from both state federal and local government. What we are asking of is how the government can help us. In 2012 when the same flood occurred government immediate came into their aides with lots of relief material coming from all angles, but this year we really constraint.
“We have held meeting with the governor to ensure that something urgent is done. We have collated statistics to assist the number of persons affected.
“One of the problem that affect them mostly is health wise because when it happen you see children swimming on the water with water borne diseases where water is passing is a burial ground and we experience a lot of that in 2012, so there is tendency of having some kind of infection. We have directed the Council to move in to minimise it any outbreak, it is a major challenge.
One of the affected victims, Mrs Veronica Egbadu, a widow also lamented the loss of her properties to the flood said since the incident occurred she had depended on handout from neighbours and sympathizers to cater for children.
