The Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG), on Friday, faulted the statement attributed to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Farouq that “Bayelsa State is not among 10 states worst hit by flood disaster, describing the remark as reckless and provocative.
The minister had claimed that Bayelsa State, with several of its communities submerged under flood water, is not among the 10 most hit states.
Rather, she claimed that Jigawa State, with record of the highest number of deaths, is number one among the most affected by the disaster.
Reacting to the claim, the coordinator of IMG, Mr. Joseph Evah, demanded an apology from the Federal government over the minister’s comment.
The statement reads: “If we were In a fair and just country, Bayelsa State should be number one among the 10 worst hit states because 99 percent of the state was submerged and the state capital was the only state capital that was cut-off from the rest of Nigeria. We wish to remind the minister that gone are the days when the Niger-Delta oil money will be used to find solution to the country’s problems, while the source of the funds are neglected with excuses.
The reason the minister, who made this provocative and embarrassing statement, in a federation has not been sacked within 72 hours is unacceptable. We expected what happens in advanced countries to happen here when a minister misbehaves in public.”
He said since the creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, the people of Niger-Delta have not felt its impact “because of the hostile attitude of the leadership of the ministry.”
In addition, Eva said: “The National Assembly members from the Niger Delta should, as a matter of urgency, request for the sack of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs on the floor of Parliament for insulting our region and its people.”