Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo (CFR) on Friday, September 22, 2023 flagged off the 2023 National Special Economic and Livelihood Intervention (NSELEI) Item distribution to 18,900 households affected by the 2022 and the most vulnerable in the State.
Speaking during the symbolic item distribution programme held at the State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA) office in Awka, Mr. Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, described the 2022 flood as devastating and a force majeure which threatened the livelihood and lives of people in 10 out of the 21 local government areas in the state. Mr Deputy Governor, enumerated the programmes and efforts the state government embarked upon in order to alleviate the suffering of those most affected by the recent flood and the vulnerable in the state, these he listed as road infrastructure, construction of bridges, employment of teachers and health care workers in the state.
Dr Ibezim while appealing to the beneficiary to make the best use of the empowerment items to better their lives, noted that Soludo’s administration, has started getting holding centres accros the riverine areas ready for this year’s flood, declaring that the centres will start receiving displaced persons soon. On his part, the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
Alhaji Mustafa Habib Ahmed, represented by Mr. Olusegun Afolaya, stated that the National Economic Intervention Fund was approved by the Federal Government specifically for 660,884 households affected by the 2022 flood and most vulnerable families across the 36 states and the Federal Capital.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of SEMA Mr. Paul Odenigbo, explained that the distribution of items to beneficiaries in the State will be done in two phases, starting with Anambra North and Central, while Anambra South Senatorial Zone will follow immediately in the second phase, he described the 2022 flood as a sad experience, which prompted the federal government to come to the aid of the victims to restart their lives and livelihoods.
Items gifted to the beneficiaries in the presence of 10 Transition Committee Chairpersons of their various LGAs include: grinding machines, pumping machines, household utensils, sewing machine, bags of rice and beans, tomato paste, vegetable oil, matras foams, among other relief items.
