The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has said that women across flood impacted areas have severely been affected socio-economically and otherwise.
In a press release signed by its Chairperson and Secretary in Rivers State, Susan Serekara-Nwikhana and Ngozi Anosike, respectively, on Monday, October 17, 2022, NAWOJ called on government at all levels, international oil and gas companies (IOCs), and good spirited individuals in the society to come to the aid of the affected victims, which it said were mostly women.
Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
“It is no longer news that the flood ravaging the state has displaced most communities with their livelihoods and homes destroyed.
“Against this backdrop, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State Chapter has called on Government at all levels including good spirited individuals to come to the aid of the victims.”
Expressing worry that women are the worst hit, the association noted that all communities mostly located along the oak banks of Orashi River and its tributaries, located in Abua/Odual, Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas of the State are on the verge of being submerged.
It stressed the need to put in place measures to avert the situation adding that in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area alone, over 20 communities have been submerged by the flood, with bridges, farms and schools covered by water.
NAWOJ regretted that the ugly situation has not only forced children out of school but has also forced residents of the communities, who are predominantly women, to harvest their cassava and other farm products prematurely.
Commiserating with the victims sacked by the fiery flood, NAWOJ lamented that the efforts of several women were washed away by the flood, adding that the ugly development was a threat to food security, in view of the agricultural potential of the affected communities.
It appealed to the relevant authorities to do all within their powers to ameliorate the suffering of these women by coming to their aid, stressing that most of them have lost their farmlands and households.
It also noted that most of the affected communities host International Oil Companies and enjoined the companies operating in those communities to as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) lend helping hands to these women.
