NAN
The Bayelsa Government has called for the support of community-based groups in sensitising the coastal communities in the state in order to check flooding.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ebipatei Apaingolo, made the call on Thursday in Yenagoa, when a community-based group, Ondewari Health Education and Environmental Project (OHEEP) paid him a courtesy visit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) recently predicted that Bayelsa was among the states to experience flooding this year.
Apaingolo said sensitisation of the rural dwellers was necessary due to their ignorance and about the impending flooding.
“In view of the impending flooding, the state government has concluded plans to embark on sensitisation tours of our coastal communities.
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“We want OHEEP to be part of the project and assist in the sensitisation of our people; I believe the messages will be more assimilated when you are involved because of your closeness to the grassroots,” he said.
The commissioner commended the group for championing environmental advocacy in the rural communities and urged other communities to establish similar groups.
Earlier, the Director of OHEEP, Mr Alagoa Morris, intimated the commissioner of the rise in exploitation and harvest of forest resources including indiscriminate cutting down of trees in Bayelsa.
Morris called for proactive policies and legislations to prevent indiscriminate felling of trees and flooding in the state.