Succour For Rivers Flood Victims As Lulu-Briggs Foundation Distributes Relief Items

‘…We Must Refrain From Contributing To Flooding Through Our Actions’, Cautions Dr. Seinye Lulu-Briggs

Succor has come the way of over 2000 families displaced by flood in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State following the provision of relief materials by the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation.

The relief items worth over N50 million, were handed to the victims in Akinima, headquarters of Ahoada West Local Government Area on Wednesday (November 9, 2022). 

The items which include food, toiletries, medication, wrappers and treated mosquito nets were received with gratitude and joy.

The medical team that accompanied staff and volunteers also attended to over 700 patients.

Speaking during the disbursement, Chairman of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, Dr. Seinye O. B. Lulu-Briggs said she was saddened by the ravaging flood across the country, for which Rivers State was one of the worst hit.

Adding that her thoughts and prayers have been with those who have lost their lives, homes and businesses, Dr. Lulu-Briggs prayed to God Almighty to comfort and strengthen those whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted and destroyed.

She said: “A few weeks ago, we started receiving phone calls about the submergence of Akinima Community and the dire conditions on ground there.

 We sent down a reconnaissance mission to assess the situation. The team reported that the state of displaced people was worse than what we witnessed ten years ago in the same place. We lent a helping hand then.

 And we affirmed our commitment to providing relief materials to families that took refuge in the makeshift camps to escape the flooding.

 “Today we are back to fulfill that promise. We have brought you some relief materials to help you- food, including dried fish, rice and garri, and beverages.

There are also insecticide-treated mosquito nets, anti-malaria medicines, wrappers, sanitary towels and toiletries. We also have a team of doctors who will attend to all those with medical issues”.

Dr. Sienye Lulu-Briggs assured that the Foundation remained committed to caring for the under-served, under-privileged, and distressed through impactful interventions.

Her words, “In addition to our routine work, the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation will provide humanitarian relief to Nigerians when disasters like the flood emergency so many people in Nigeria are facing occur.

As the flooding worsened, we received many phone calls from communities where we have intervened over the years.

“The water rose very quickly. We heard that Akinima was submerged. We knew that reaching the families in the adhoc IDP camps in Akinima was urgent because they were isolated due to the water volume.

“A team that we sent on a reconnaissance mission a few weeks ago to assess the situation reported that the situation families were in was worse than what we witnessed ten years ago in the same places.

We lent a helping hand then. We are standing with the displaced families now.”

Dr Seinye Lulu-Briggs thanked partners, including the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, which provided logistics and security support, Old Port Harcourt City Association of Friends, the traditional ruler of Akinima Community and his Council of Chiefs, volunteers, friends, and family. 

She assured the Akinima Community of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs ongoing support.

“We are standing in solidarity with you today. We wish you all the best as you build back your lives. We will stay in touch and lend a helping hand in the coming days.”   

The Chairman of the Lulu-Briggs Foundation who partly attributed the 2022 floods to climate change, expressed hope that countries would take a united stand on how to finance the actions required in tackling climate change in course of the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt.

Recommending ways of preventing future occurrence of the disaster, Dr. Lulu-Briggs submitted: “Individually, we must also ensure that we refrain from contributing to flooding through our actions, such as dumping refuse in drains and building on flood plains. Governments also need to comply with all environmental laws so that we don’t spend resources on the impact and after-effects of flooding instead of preventing it”.