The President General of the Ogoni Youth Federation, Legborsi Yamaabana, has called on the Rivers State Government to extend its flood relief programme to Nyokhana and other flood-affected communities across Ogoniland. Yamaabana, who is also the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate for Khana Constituency II in the 2027 Rivers State House of Assembly election, made the appeal in a statement. He commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu, for the government's decision to provide relief to flood victims in Eneka, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Yamaabana requested N200,000 cash assistance and one year of free healthcare for verified flood victims in the affected Ogoni communities. He stressed that humanitarian relief must be guided by need, not geography, and that families whose homes, farmlands, and livelihoods had been damaged by flooding also required urgent assistance. According to him, over 23 Ogoni communities have been affected by the flooding, including Lueku, Lorre, Luebe, Yeghe, Bera, Kono, Kereke Bo-ue, Zor-Sogho, and Okwale.
The flooding has submerged homes, damaged properties, disrupted academic activities, destroyed farmlands, and threatened the livelihoods of residents in the affected communities. Yamaabana disclosed that he had formally written to Odu, in her capacity as chairman of the state flood management committee, requesting urgent intervention in the affected Ogoni communities. He said the appeal was aimed at securing practical assistance for residents through constructive engagement with the state government.
Yamaabana also called for an urgent assessment of flood damage, immediate support for displaced and vulnerable households, rehabilitation of drainage channels, and the implementation of sustainable flood-prevention measures. He maintained that the request was not for preferential treatment but for the needs of flood victims in Ogoniland to receive adequate consideration. Yamaabana emphasized that the suffering is real, the needs are urgent, and the response must be inclusive.
The Ogoni Youth Federation president-general urged the governor and the flood management committee to ensure that relief efforts covered all communities where residents had suffered flood-related losses. He added that he would continue to advocate for the welfare and protection of affected residents in his capacity as leader of the Ogoni Youth Federation and a prospective representative of Khana Constituency II.
Yamaabana said that Ogoni flood victims deserve relief and that their communities deserve protection. He emphasized that the people of Ogoniland must not be left behind in the relief efforts. According to him, the flooding has devastated the homes, farms, and livelihoods of residents, and urgent assistance is required to alleviate their suffering.
The Rivers State Government has reportedly provided relief to flood victims in Eneka, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, and Yamaabana is seeking similar assistance for affected households in Ogoniland. He believes that the government should provide fair consideration for Ogoni people whose homes, farms, and livelihoods have been devastated by flooding.
Key points
- Legborsi Yamaabana requests N200,000 cash assistance and one year of free healthcare for verified flood victims in Ogoni communities.
- Over 23 Ogoni communities have been affected by the flooding, including Lueku, Lorre, Luebe, Yeghe, Bera, Kono, Kereke Bo-ue, Zor-Sogho, and Okwale.
- Yamaabana urges the Rivers State Government to extend its flood relief programme to Nyokhana and other flood-affected communities across Ogoniland.
