LAGOS MAY 22ND (URHOBOTODAY)-Residents of Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State have protested the exclusion of the council from the planned distribution of relief materials to the 2022 flood victims by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA).

The ministry had in a letter with reference number MNDA/PRS/006/S.I/T/43 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, slated the distribution of the relief items for Monday, May 22, 2023 in Asaba.

The letter dated May 16, 2023, listed the councils to benefit to include Oshimili, Uvwie, Warri South, Warri North, Warri South West, Isoko South, Aniocha North, Ughelli North, Okpe, Ndokwa West and Ughelli South.

But former President General of Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU), Paul Enebeli in a protest letter he jointly signed with the President General of Obetim National Council (ONC), Sony Neme, rejected the move by the ministry.

The open letter which was dated May 19, 2023 and addressed to MNDA is titled ‘Re-Invitation To Distribution Of Relief Material To The 2022 Flood Victims In The Niger Delta Region’

Made available to our correspondent in Asaba on Sunday, the protest letter pointed out that Ndokwa East was most impacted by the 2022 flood, and wondered why it was being excluded from relief items.

The letter reads in parts: “We note the conspicuous exclusion of Ndokwa East LGA among LGAs to be covered by this intervention.

“Ndokwa East LGA, with headquarters at Aboh, which is in a low plane of Ase Creek, is a riverine, oil producing area that is annually submerged and heavily impacted by devastating floods.

“We write to protest the anomaly inherent, and demand that Ndokwa East Local Government Area should be listed among the beneficiaries of your current intervention.

“Accordingly, we demand that you postpone the date of distribution to enable you accommodate Ndokwa East LGA among the beneficiaries.”

The letter indicated that evidence of presentation of relief materials to IDPs at the Ozoma Uku Primary School, Ashaka, Ndokwa East LGA during the 2022 flood was attached for the ministry’s attention.

Sun News Online