National Telescope national telescope newspaper
As sea level in parts of the country begins to rise in view of the predicted 2023 flooding, women in Rivers State have called on the state government to start moving communities that would be affected by the disaster to safe grounds.
This came as Natural Justice Movement Nigeria staged a walk on climate change and energy transition, calling on the state government for inclusivity in tackling the year’s flooding.
Coordinator, Healthy Life and Development Initiative, Dr. Mfon Utin, who spoke during the walk to the state Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday, said the sea level has started rising as predicted and that the government should immediately activate the camps already planned for the emergency.
Utin said women were always the most affected in the environmental situation, regretting that many families have not been able to recover their sources of livelihood lost in past flood disasters.
She said: “We all know that the climate change issues always affect the women the most, because most women are the bread winners of their families. The flood has destroyed our sources of livelihood.
“This is the right time to relocate people. Already, some areas in Rivers State are already flooded. We are calling on the government to quickly relocate people to safe place so they can live safe.”
Also, Head, Natural Justice Movement Nigeria, Mike Karikpo, commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for setting up flood response committee, but urged the governor to ensure that the committee is inclusive.
Karikpo, who spoke while handing over a letter to the state government, said the government should make women, youths, community leaders and civil society organisations to be part of the flood committee, noting that the people were meant to be part of the process that affects them.
(Vanguard)
