From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
A total of 18,904 households in Anambra State affected by the 2022 flooding that wreaked havoc in various parts of the country would receive relief materials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced the distribution of relief materials to 18, 904 households affected by flood in Anambra State last year.
Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, disclosed this in Awka, the state capital, during the distribution of the special national economic and livelihood emergency intervention to the last year’s flood victims and vulnerable persons.
Ahmed, who was represented by Mr Olusegun Afolayan, Assistant Director, NEMA, said that relief materials were approved for that number of households after an assessment was carried out in the state.
He said that the intervention 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 none food items as it’s expected that they continue their livelihood with the empowerment materials.
Also speaking, the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, appreciated the federal government for the intervention, saying that the effect of the flood disaster was beyond the capacity of the state government to handle.
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 of the state.
“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, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Chief Paul Odenigbo, said that the beneficiaries were drawn from 10 Local Government Areas affected by the flood incident in the state.
Items being distributed were sewing machines, grinding machines, water pump machines, cooking stove, cooking pots, mattresses, mosquito nets, mats, soap, buckets, and blankets.
Others were herbicides, pesticides, growth enhancer, fertilizer, yam, rice, beans and maize seedlings, salt, garri, sachets of tomato pastes, vegetable oil and seasoning cubes.