The Federal Government has on Friday distributed relief items to victims of the Abia State flood disaster.
Director general the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Ahmed, delivered the supplies to the State government on behalf of the FG.
Head of NEMA’s Owerri Operations Office, Ifeanyi Nnaji, spoke on behalf of Ahmed saying the gesture was part of the ongoing relief efforts for those impacted by the state’s flood disaster.
He recalled that the agency had in November, arrived in the region to start distributing food and non-food relief supplies.
The items included rice, beans, maize, salt, vegetable oil, seasoning cubes and tin tomatoes, according to News Agency of Nigeria.
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He said: “We hope and believe that the beneficiaries are going to be happy because the items are not to pay back for what they have lost, but just to cushion the effect.
“It is to make them feel the impact of government and also have a way to come back to life.
“I, therefore, emphasise that communities that are vulnerable to natural disasters must embark on Disaster Risk Reduction Initiative to curtail losses during disasters.”
He commended Okezie Ikpeazu, the State’s governor, for his effort in attending to disaster issues in the state.
While receiving the items on behalf of the State, Sunday Jackson, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) also commended the federal government for its timely response.
He said that the relief materials from NEMA would go a way to cushion the effect of the 2022 flood disaster in the state.
Jackson disclosed that 52 communities in 16 local government areas were ravaged by the flood disaster while assuring the items would be distributed transparently in the presence of all concerned.
