Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday flagged-off the distribution of items to over a thousand households that were affected by a windstorm and communal clashes in Taraba.
The leader of the team, Mr Igue Terungwa, who formally presented the items to the state deputy governor, Alhaji Haruna Manu, before proceeding to commence the distribution, noted that this was part of government’s efforts to ameliorate the hardship of those who houses were destroyed by the windstorm or who lost property during communal clashes in the state.
Igue said that the items, which include foodstuff, beddings, toiletries and building materials worth hundreds of millions of naira, are to be distributed to seven local government areas in the state.
He said that ‘170 households in Bali, 240 in Donga and 100 in Ussa local government areas, respectively, that were affected by communal clashes have been mapped to benefit, while 150 households in Jalingo, 200 in Gassol, 385 in Kurmi, and 100 in Sardauna local government areas that were affected by windstorm are to benefit from the gesture.’
The state deputy governor, in his remarks, thanked the NEMA for the intervention and asked for more intervention as the crisis in the state has caused more damage and more persons are left homeless and stranded.
Manu noted that ‘just recently, we had to move some people from Kurmi to Takum and the task is enormous. This assistance is timely and appreciated. We pray that we don’t have to need relief materials as a result of conflicts as we are working hard to ensure lasting peace in the state.’
He assured that the ‘state will always play its part in making the work of NEMA in the state less stressful and ensure that the items get to only the beneficiaries; those who lost property during the crisis and those who have lost their homes to the windstorm.’