5community leaders arrested for diversion ofrelief materials for flood victims

Flood Committee arrests 5 community leaders for alleged diversion of relief materials

The Bayelsa State Post Flood Management Committee has arrested five community leaders involved in the diversion of relief materials meant for flood ravaged communities in 2012.

The Chairman of the committee, Chief Francis Doukpola, said this when he briefed newsmen in Yenagoa on Thursday.

Doukpola said that the five community leaders diverted bags of cements supplied by the committee to the communities in their areas.

He said the culprits were members of the Community Development Committee (CDC) in Ogbia, Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas.

The chairman said the committee was still investigating the incident to ascertain the exact numbers of bags of cement diverted.

“Out of the 130,000 bags of cement supplied to the over 300 communities affected by the flood, those arrested were discovered to have hijacked most the bags of cement and diverted it for other use.

“This is against the spirit of the flood management efforts in the state,’’ he said.

Doukpola said that a study being conducted by the committee on drainage management in Yenagoa had shown that over 13 water channels had been identified in the state capital.

He said that construction of flood gate was being proposed to regulate the inflow of water into the Epie Creek to forestall flood. (NAN)


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