The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials to victims of flood and windstorm in seven local government areas of Abia State.
The distribution of relief materials was performed at the office of Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Umuahia and supervised by Mr. Nnaji Ifeanyi who represented the Director -General of NEMA, Mr. Mustapha Ahmed.
About 22 communities affected by the erosion in 2021 were in Arochukwu, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Aba North, Osisioma, Obingwa and Ikwuano councils of the State.
The shared items included 951 bags of 10kg of rice, 951 bags of 10kg of garri, 951 bags of 10kg of beans and 157 jerry cans of 20 litres of vegetable oil.
Others were 710 bags of cement, 740 bundles of roofing sheets, 370 packets of zinc nails and 460 bags of three inches nails.
In his address during the event, the D-G of NEMA, Ahmed said that list of the affected areas were arrived at, after a joint team of assessors from Owerri and Abia SEMA had earlier conducted on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas, adding that the needs of the victims were also ascertained before the items were sent.
“You should please note that the relief materials provided to you is not to pay you back for all that were destroyed but only to cushion the effect of the unfortunate incident,” said the NEMA D-G.
In his speach, Executive Secretary of SEMA, Mr. Sunday Jackson, said the relief materials would offer succour to the affected people and commended the federal government for the gesture.
Also, the Secretary to the Abia State government, Mr. Chris Ezem, lauded the federal government “for choosing Abia as a beneficiary state”.
Ezem, who was represented by Mr. Franklin Onyema, Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Economic Affairs, urged all communities in Abia to always take precautionary measures to avert the occurrence of some disasters.
A beneficiary from Ozu Abam, Arochukwu LGA, Mr. Chile Thompson thanked the federal government for remembering the victims of flood and windstorm.