Several calls have been made by different people for the resignation of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq.
Sadiya Farouq had last week said that Bayelsa State was not among 10 worst hit states affected by flood disaster. She noted that Jigawa State, was most affected by the disaster.
Irked by her statistics, members of the House of Representatives from Niger Delta States, mainly Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Imo and Cross River, asked her to resign for giving wrong statistics on current flooding in Nigeria.
Also, Ijaw Monitoring Group, IMG, on Friday, faulted her statement, describing the remark as reckless and provocative.
However, intervening on the matter on Wednesday, Presidency through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is concern about every Nigerian, noting that ‘No life lost is bigger or lesser than that of the others’.
Clarifying some issues in a statement, Presidency said: “The Federal Government is concerned about what has happened in Bayelsa as it is with respect to the other states. No life lost is bigger or lesser than that of the others.
“The challenge of bringing succour to a large number of the displaced people in Bayelsa and other states, the restoration of their damaged property and farmlands washed away have clearly overwhelmed disaster management efforts so far but that is not to say no efforts are being made.
“The huge need for everything from foodstuff to tents, blankets and mosquito nets; antimalarial and other drugs clearly indicate that more resources are needed, not only by the disaster management agencies at the centre but also by those at the State and local council levels that are structural, the first responders.
“The Minister has been diligently working to target assistance where it is most needed and plug the gaps in several state governments’ disaster responses.
“The state of Bayelsa has done commendably well but they certainly can do better with increased Federal assistance, which is still being delivered batch by batch.
“All these efforts are coming ahead of the report of the committee under the auspices of the Nigerian Governors Forum, set up by the President to fashion out solutions and then escalate their conclusions to the Federal Government, to alleviate the plight of people currently being ravaged by floods around the country.
“Clearly, this is not a time for public reproach. It will only weaken our collective response to the tragedy, and ultimately hinder cooperation that saves lives and delivers emergency aid.
“The government at the centre will continue to do more for Bayelsa and for all states so affected as more and more resources are made available to agencies dealing.”
