On Saturday December 21, 2024 Barrister Chika Rita Okwuosa Foundation (BCROF) in conjunction with RISE UP held a town hall meeting with stakeholders at Atafa Hotel, Okoti, Odekpe in Ogbaru Local Government Area on flood disaster in Anambra State, especially to come up with resolutions on how to mitigate the impact of flood as it affects women and children.
BCROF, with support of RISE UP is advocating for the review of Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (ANSEMA) law to accommodate the current realist of annual flood disaster that affects the riverine communities of Anambra State.
The aim is to review the ANSEMA law and make it relevant to the present situation in order to accommodate a budget allocation to mitigate against flood disaster.
Provide rehabilitation and empowerment programme for women and girls who are the worse victims of the flood disaster that has become an annual occurrence.
Provide a pre, during and post disaster management scheme that will aid the survival of victims who cut across all ages, sex and ethnicity.
Consequently, BCROF is an international non-governmental organization with the vision of creating an equitable world where all people have the opportunity to live healthy lives, achieve economic mobility and fulfill their potential.
The meeting attracted stakeholders from all the seven Local Government Areas (LGA) in Anambra State that are annually affected by flood.
Representatives attended the meeting from Anambra-East, Anambra-West, Ayamelum, Ogbaru, Onitsha-North, Onitsha-South, Idemmili.
Speaking at the event, a participant from Ayamelum LGA narrated how cultivated hectares of rice farm was destroyed by the flood and till date there was no form of assistance for the victim.
Another narrated how the physically challenged people are worst victims because in the melee, they are usually forgotten during emergency rescue operation, leading to the death of many disabled people.
The plight of the aged were also brought to the front burner as many of them die as a result of neglect, cold and adventurous diseases that are rampant during the flood crisis.
Therefore, it was resolved that poignantly, the ANSEMA law has to be reviewed and brought up to current realities.
Again, permanent camp was resolved to be constructed for victims. This shelter camps was proposed to be campaigned to be constructed in the affected LGA to accommodate victims during flood.
Importantly, there was resolution to campaign for start-up funds to be included in the law and made available for victims to start with their lives again after losses that might be suffered as a result of the flood.
The Programme Coordinator of BCROF, Mrs Anastasia Uyanne, in her speech, advocated more elevated holding centres, provision of relief materials and health care services, fumigation of the holding centres, empowerment of women and girls and to design a programme that will assist the victims reintegrate into the society when they go back home.
Clearly, the project aims to advocate for a change in the Anambra State disaster management laws through the use of the media, engagement with the communities who are the victims, and engagement with the Anambra State House of Assembly whose responsibility it is to review the law as it concerns flood disaster management.
Finally, Barrister Chika Okwuosah Foundation (BCROF) works with SafePath Alliance for Women and Girls.
