FLOOD: YOUR GOVERNMENT IS INSENSITIVE‎-USMAN OKAI AUSTIN FLARES AT GOVERNOR YAHAYA BELLO, SAYS HIS CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY NEEDS TO BE TAME

BY

USMAN OKAI AUSTIN

Ahead of release of water from the Kainji Dam and the possible flooding of some flood prone areas which involved about nine local government areas in Kogi state by NIMET, an opinion maunder has condemned the lackluster attitude of the state government towards the welfare of the affected areas only to sound a note of warning for their relocation.

Okai Austin observed with keen interest since the controversial apex court judgement that coarse home victory for  Yahaya Bello the incumbent governor, series of irrational decisions,nonchalant attitude unbecoming of a public officer of his capacity is been exhibited.

Austin expressed serious worries on the attitude of the government whose social obligations to the generality of the people of the state through provision of  alternative arrangement of shilter and temporary shelter deliberately abdicated its responsibilities.

he also said, having gotten victory at all cost, it is glaring  the government is not prepared to shoulder the affairs of governance ‎of the state by merely issuing a statement on such a delicate issue for people to move upland.

According to Austin the statement credited to the new chief press secretary to the governor, Petra Akinti Onyegbule has displayed an utter unprofessional traits in the crop of image makers been paraded by the Yahaya Bello led administration.

Government owe its citizens the responsibility of providing alternative or temporary shelter as accommodation, provision of medical personal and attention ‎as well as essential items to mitigate the plight of the victims of the natural disaster and prevent drought, hunger and malnutrition.

He said media job is not only restricted to the pages of newspapers, radio,television or social media platforms, stating that tackling issues headlong is also part of the information meant for the consumption of the affected public and other prone areas for consumption.

He urged the present administration to settle down for real business of governance and put behind imaginations of litigation period when government publicity apparatus were readily available tools used in attacking and defending its innuendo.

Austin urged the government to take advantage of its inexperience and take cue from the various outlets adopted by the immediate past administration to tackle the most highly ravaged areas in the state through the establishment of State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA) and partnership with international and donor agencies that provided immediate succor to the victims in 2012.

The government of the immediate past administration through series ‎of partnership attracted several individuals,corporate organisation, state governments and organised private sectors that willingly arrest the flood victims plights along with the construction of post flood housing estate in Lokoja to address the plight of people relocated from their original locations.

He advised the Yahaya Bello government to urgently swing into action and avoid further bureaucracy as the issue deserve emergency response from the state government.