The 2022 flood victims in the Abakaliki local government area of Ebonyi State have received relief materials from the federal government to cushion the effects of the disaster.
The federal government provided relief materials to the flood victims through the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA yesterday in Nkaliki, the headquarters of the Abakaliki council area. The relief items included bags of beans, bags of rice, foams, grinding machines, sowing machines, and mattresses, among others.
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of Abakaliki Local Government Area, Hon. Stephen Ebere Nwogba commended the federal government through the NEM for providing relief materials to the flood victims.
Nwogba noted that the relief materials would assist the disaster victims to alleviate their suffering which sprang from the destruction of their farm produce worth millions of Naira by the flood.
He described the federal government's kind gesture as a worthwhile intervention in assisting the state and the local government's efforts to reduce the burden of the less privileged, particularly the local farmers whose farm produce and other valuable properties were grossly damaged by the flood due to the heavy downpour in 2022.
The Council Chairman also commended the state government through the Commissioner for Human Capital Development, Mrs. Ann Aligwe whose office was used by the federal government to reach the intended beneficiaries.
While advising the disaster victims to uphold decorum in their quest to get the relief items, Nwogba observed that human activities such erection of structures and dumping of refuse on waterways contribute to the occurrence of floods mostly in urban areas.
He, however, advised metropolitans to desist from all forms of environmental degradation capable of causing floods in society.
Flagging off the distribution of the relief materials, the State Commissioner for Human Capital Development, Mrs. Ann Aligwe expressed sympathy with the victims of flood and other natural disasters and encouraged them to remain supportive of the present government.
She noted that the state government would soon distribute the palliatives meant to cushion the effects of petroleum subsidy removal.
The NEMA representative, Mr. Kadir Olarewaju equally noted that the federal government released the relief materials in response to the complaints of economic hardship faced by the people who were affected by the flood disaster and encouraged the beneficiaries to ensure proper use of the items.
