NEMA distributes materials to flood hit households in Anambra

Maduako igbokwe I Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023

AWKA, Nigeria – The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced the distribution of relief materials to 18, 904 households affected by flood in Anambra.

Director-General, NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed disclosed this in Awka during the distribution of the special national economic and livelihood emergency intervention to 2022 flood victims and vulnerable persons on Tuesday.

Ahmed represented by Assistant Director, NEMA,Mr Olusegun Afolayan said that the interventions was to cushion the effect of the flood devastation as well as the economic hardship occasioned by the removal of oil subsidy.

“The 2022 flood disaster devastated many communities across the country, including Anambra state.

“After the flood incident, damage and loss assessment were conducted and relief items approved for 18,904 households in Anambra. The assessment was done in collaboration with the State Emergency Management Agency, hence, the distribution of the relief items to support the victims’ quick return to normalcy, ” he said.

The NEMA DG advised beneficiaries to make utmost use of the items and avoid selling the food items as it is expected that they continue their livelihood with the empowerment.

Also speaking, the governor Charles Soludo, appreciated the federal government for the intervention, saying that the effect of the flood disaster is beyond the capacity of the state government.

Soludo represented by his deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, said the flood incident affected health, education and economic sectors as well as the livelihood of residents.

“Our administration is committed to supporting programmes that would be directed towards alleviating the socio-economic hardship of the people of the state.

“In preparation for this year’s flooding, the holding camps are already activated and people in the riverine areas will soon be moving in as the water level continues to rise this year,” he said.

In a remark, Executive Secretary, SEMA, Chief Paul Odenigbo said that the beneficiaries were drawn from 10 Local Government Areas affected by the flood incident in the state.

Some of the items distributed were sewing, machines, grinding machines, water pump machines, cooking stoves, cooking pots, mattresses, mosquito nets, mats, soap, buckets, and blankets.

Others were herbicides, pesticides, growth enhancer, fertiliser, yam, rice, beans and maize seedlings, salt, garri, sachets of tomato pastes, vegetable oil and seasoning cubes.