The Enugu State Government has provided necessities worth over N80 million to flood and other disaster victims in the state. This comes as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) collaborated with the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to provide more relief supplies to people and communities affected by the 2022 flood calamity across the state’s local government areas.
While making the donation, the state government stated that the relief goods would not only provide relief but would also assist impacted individuals in settling down by reactivating their means of livelihood.
The NEMA Director-General, Mustapha Ahmed Habib, who presented the agency items to the state Governor, Peter Mbah, at Government House in Enugu, explained that “the relief intervention by the Federal Government through NEMA is not a compensation, but rather a fulfillment of the Federal Government’s responsibility to support the welfare and wellbeing of Nigerian citizens wherever they live, especially when the capacity of the Federal Government is limited.”
A management staff of the agency, Amaka Chidi-Aroh, who represented the Zonal Coordinator also noted that “Upon the escalation of the 2022 flood disaster, the NEMA South East Zonal Office carried out damage/need assessment in six major selected Local Government Areas namely: Enugu South, Enugu East, Nkanu East, Awgu, Udenu, and Uzo Uwani to determine the level of the flood disaster, damage caused, needs of the affected communities and appropriate recommendations were made in line with the agency’s mandate to ensure that all affected communities were provided with necessary short, medium and long term support to enable them to recover from the disaster.”
She stated that the relief items would assist the afflicted individuals in getting back on their feet and returning to normal life.
“Let me use today’s occasion to remind us that recent unpredictable weather conditions associated with climatic variability in Nigeria have aggravated the occurrence of disasters,” the Zonal Coordinator remarked, reminding members of the public of the recent unpredictable weather conditions.
“As a result, we must constantly evacuate solid wastes that clog drainage systems in our cities and townships, avoid building on flood plains, and relocate to higher ground whenever an early warning of impending flood disaster is issued.”
“Disaster management requires a collective effort, hence the calls for concerted endeavors on Disaster Risk Management and enhance collaboration between emergency response providers at community, local, state and federal levels.”
She praised the Enugu State Government for its unusual collaboration with the Agency and for establishing a Technical Committee on main hazards (erosion and windstorm) in the state to ensure better disaster management.
Governor Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, stated that the state government’s work with NEMA had always yielded great outcomes and would continue.
He revealed that NEMA’s data had also aided the state government in its plans and that the assistance will aid in the victims’ economic recovery.
He expressed trust in the authenticity of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Enugu State, led by the chairman of the Nkanu East local government, Hon. Okechukwu Sydney Edeh, and assured that the supplies would be distributed correctly to the affected people.
Earlier, the Head of Welfare, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency, Chinaza Mbah, said that the things presented were for the 2022 flood victims, stressing that the 2022 flood tragedy damaged several villages, wrecked houses and farmlands, and claimed some lives.
After receiving the things from SEMA, ALGON Chairman Hon. Edeh stated that they will go to the Local Government Areas and form a committee to distribute the materials to the affected people.
Food and non-food items presented included bags of rice (10kg), bags of beans (10kg), bags of gari (10kg), kegs of vegetable oil (20 liters), cartons of seasoning cubes, cartons of spaghetti, cartons of tomato paste, bags of iodized salt, while none food items included pieces of mosquito nets (treated), blankets, nylon mats, guinea brocades, children’s wear (new), packs of diapers, packets of sanitary pad, cartons of toilet soap, cartons of disinfectant, cartons of OMO detergent.
Cooking pots, standard cooking stoves, building materials, bags of cement, planks, 400 bundles of roofing sheets, nails, zinc nails, ceiling board, livelihood items, grinding machines, pieces of water pumping machine, and sewing machines (butterfly or equivalent) were among the non-food items.
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