Flooding: Visit victims, affected communities – Group tells Akwa Ibom gov

The Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network, CHRAN, has called on Governor Umo Eno to personally visit communities and families who lost valuables and lives in last week’s flood incident in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The governor had earlier commiserated with the victims of the flood incident and ordered relevant agencies to commence the desilting of drain channels and other measures to mitigate the impact.

In a statement in Uyo on Monday, the State Director of CHRAN, Franklyn Isong, stated that issuing a press release was not enough to assuage the plight of the victims, noting that the governor’s physical presence will make much impact.

He also called on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, the Akwa Ibom State Emergency Management Agency, AKSEMA, State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, humanitarian organisations, corporate bodies, faith-based institutions and well-meaning Nigerians to support relief efforts and assist affected individuals and communities.

“CHRAN notes that the physical presence of a governor at the scene of any disaster reassures victims that they have not been abandoned and this demonstrates that government genuinely shares in their pain.

“Crisis communication is not merely about issuing a Press Release; it is about demonstrating empathy, inspiring public confidence, calming anxieties, and assuring citizens that their government is fully engaged in addressing their plight,” the statement said.

The Center also wondered why relevant agencies did not take proactive measures even after early flood warnings from the Federal Government, expressing concern over their level of preparedness to combat flooding in the state.