Umuahia, May 23, 2023
The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Tuesday commenced the first phase of distribution of palliatives to the 2022 flood victims in Abia.
The ministry handed over the relief materials to NEMA for onward distribution to affected victims in the state, during a ceremony in Umuahia.
Speaking at the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Umana Okon Umana, regretted that the region was always worst hit by the natural disaster because of its topography.
Umana, who was represented by Mr Azeez Oyeniyi, Director, Infrastructural Development, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, said that President Muhammadu Buhari, in his concern and love for the region, approved the relief materials.
Engr. Azeez Oyeniyi, Director, Infrastructural Development, Ministry of Niger Delta, (right) with the Head, Operations,Owerri Office, Mr Ifeanyi Nnaji, during the handover ceremony.
The minister said that the relief materials would help alleviate the burden faced by the people.
According to him, no amount of relief provided by the government can replace the losses as a result of the flood.
He said that the relief materials approved for distribution are in four categories, including social relief care packs, nutritional packs, livelihood items and building materials.
The minister explained that some of the items included mattresses, pillows, blankets, cooking pots, cartons of noodles, bags of rice, bags of beans, grinding machine, sewing machine, cement among others.
He said that the materials would be meticulously distributed in all the identified local government areas, so as to forestall diversion or any irregularities.
The minister assured that the second phase of the distribution would also commence as soon as the first phase was concluded.
Also, Chief Henry Ikoh, the Minister of State, Ministry of Science and Technology, expressed profound appreciation to Buhari, for his kind gesture to identify with the plight of the people.
Ikoh, represented by Chief Dimgba Eruba, the Abia Commissioner for Niger Delta Development Commission, recalled that homes, farmlands and businesses in the region were lost to the flood.
Chief Dimgba Eruba on red cap, NDDC Commissioner in Abia, representing Chief Henry Ikoh, the Minister of State, Ministry of Science and Technology.
In his remarks, Director-General of NEMA, Mr Ahmed Habib, said the agency in collaboration with the Abia State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA), had conducted the needs assessment in the affected communities and local government areas.
Habib, who was represented by the Head of Operations, Owerri Office, NEMA, Mr Ifeanyi Nnaji, said that his agency would work with SEMA to fashion out modalities for effective distribution.
He assured that the distribution exercised would be monitored to ensure that the items got to those for whom they were meant.
Receiving the items on behalf of the state, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Dr Sunday Jackson, thanked the Federal Government for alleviating the plight of the people.
Jackson disclosed that no fewer than 7, 374 persons in six local government areas were affected by the 2022 flood disaster in the state.
According him, the six benefiting local government areas include Ukwa East, Ugwunagbo, Ikwuano, Umuahia South, Umunneochi and Obingwa.
