State Welfare Services and Rehabilitation Programmes for Flood Victims in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Globally, floods are the most destructive naturally triggered disasters, accounting for over one-third of total disaster-related economic losses. Nigeria regularly experiences seasonal flooding, but the 2022 flood disaster was the most severe in a decade, submerging over 300 communities in Bayelsa State alone and displacing hundreds of thousands of residents. This study examines state welfare services and rehabilitation programmes for flood victims in Yenagoa Local Government Area (LGA), Bayelsa State. Guided by Social Welfare Theory, Climatic Determinism/Push-Pull Theory, and the Prevention-Preparedness-Response-Recovery (PPRR) model, the study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional mixed-methods design. A sample size of 400 respondents was drawn using Taro Yamane’s formula, across ten flood-prone communities in Yenagoa LGA, supplemented by 29 in-depth interviews (IDIs). Quantitative data were analyzed using simple percentages, means ($\bar{X}$), and standard deviations ($SD$), while qualitative data were analyzed thematic-content analysis. Results indicate that while emergency welfare services—such as temporary shelter, mattress distribution, basic food items, and medical aid—were provided, they failed to meet the felt needs of victims due to a lack of systematic needs assessment, political patronage, hoarding of relief materials, and the absence of professional social workers in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. The study recommends the integration of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), institutional capacity building for Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), structural flood mitigation, and formal involvement of social work professionals to ensure equitable and resilient post-disaster rehabilitation.