Tinubu’s Swift Response Earns Cross River Commendation as SSDC Arrives

By Okpashi Odama

The Cross River State Government has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the Federal Government for their swift response to the recent floods and landslides in the state through the South South Development Commission (SSDC), describing the intervention as a demonstration of the administration’s commitment to supporting communities affected by disasters.

The Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Rt. Hon. Dr. Peter Odey, gave the commendation on Tuesday when he received a delegation from the South South Development Commission, led by its Managing Director, Ms. Usoro Akpabio, at his office in Government House, Calabar.
Welcoming the delegation, Odey expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for promptly responding to the state’s appeal for assistance through the SSDC. He also commended the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for its earlier humanitarian intervention, noting that the coordinated response by the Federal Government had brought relief and renewed hope to affected communities.
He said the SSDC assessment mission demonstrated the Federal Government’s concern for citizens affected by natural disasters and its commitment to promoting sustainable development across the South-South region. According to him, the intervention also aligns with the “People First” mantra of Governor Bassey Otu.
The Deputy Governor recalled that shortly after the devastating floods and landslides, Governor Bassey Otu personally visited several affected communities, while he led members of the State Executive Council on an on-the-spot assessment of the landslide along Anansa Street Road in Calabar.
Odey further recalled that during the visit to Anansa Street Road, he appealed to relevant Federal Government agencies for urgent intervention to address the disaster and provide lasting solutions.
He expressed delight that only days after the appeal, the SSDC arrived in Cross River to undertake a comprehensive assessment, describing the swift response as reassuring and a testament to the Federal Government’s responsiveness to the plight of the people.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to collaborating with the SSDC, NEMA, other Federal Government agencies and development partners to strengthen disaster management, restore damaged infrastructure and build resilient communities capable of withstanding future disasters.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the South South Development Commission, Ms. Usoro Akpabio, said the delegation was in Cross River as part of a regional disaster assessment mission across the South-South geopolitical zone.
She explained that the mission was aimed at assessing erosion-prone communities, flood-affected areas, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and critical infrastructure damaged by recent floods and landslides.
According to her, the exercise, which is also being conducted in other South-South states and communities affected by similar disasters, followed appeals from state governments for intervention after the devastating natural disasters.
Akpabio informed the Deputy Governor that the assessment team had already visited Anansa Street Road, where a landslide occurred; Big Qua, which was affected by flooding; Elijah Henshaw and Atu Street, as well as the temporary shelter jointly managed by the Nigerian Red Cross Society and the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA).
The team also visited the CR-SEMA Central Warehouse to assess the extent of the damage, evaluate humanitarian needs and identify priority areas requiring urgent intervention.
Ms. Akpabio explained that the exercise would enable the Commission to develop sustainable, long-term recovery strategies in line with its mandate to drive equitable development across the South-South region.
She disclosed that although the Commission is still putting its institutional structures in place, it would prioritise disaster response and humanitarian interventions, working closely with the Cross River State Government and other relevant stakeholders to support affected communities in their recovery and strengthen their resilience against future environmental disasters.
She also sympathised with families who lost loved ones, homes, property and means of livelihood as a result of the recent floods and landslides, assuring them of the Commission’s commitment to supporting recovery and rebuilding efforts.