By Linus Ogbu, Lafia
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials to 6,637 households and vulnerable individuals affected by 2022 flood disaster in Nasarawa State.
Mr Mustapha Habib – Ahmed, Director General of NEMA, during the flag – off distribution exercise on Sunday in Lafia, said it was a special intervention by the Federal Government to support flood victims.
Habib Ahmed explained that the flag – off distribution of support items to the 6, 637 beneficiaries marked the first phase of Special National Economic and Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI) in Nasarawa state.
He said that the programme targeted 11,000 Households, noting that the remaining affected households will be giving support in the second phase.
The Director General, represented by the Head of Planning, NEMA Sokoto, Mr Tukur Abubakar said the intervention expected to drive the sustainable socio – economic resilience of flood victims and vulnerable individuals in the state.
Habib Ahmed said that agricultural inputs such as crop seedlings and equipment were given to take famers back to the land, stimulate crop production and safeguard food security.
“Immediately after the flood incident, damage and loss assessment were conducted and relief items approved federal government were delivered across the states to complement their initial Interventions.
“Furthermore, based on the assessments which were jointly conducted by the NEMA and State Emergency Management Agencies, Federal Government approved this special intervention to assist vulnerable persons and flood victims,” he said.
Habib Ahmed thanked President Bola Tinubu for the support given towards the implementation of the intervention and the Nasarawa State government particularly the State Emergency Management Agency for providing necessary support to achieve successful distribution.
He enjoined the beneficiaries not to sell the items but make judicious use of them to improve their socio economic conditions.
Also speaking, Gov Abdullahi Sule of Nassarawa state expressed his deepest appreciation to the federal government and NEMA for the intervention.
Gov Sule, represented by the Director General, Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency, Barrister Allumaga Zachary advised people of the state to adhere to flood predictions by NEMA and Nigeria Meteorological Agency.
Sule caution against farming and building on water ways, while urging riverine communities on the fringes of River Benue to take caution and be at alert to move to highland in the event of flood.
Speaking in an interview, beneficiaries, Asaba Aveson, a disabled and Usman Magaji, flood victim and fire disaster victim, said they have lost many things to the disaster, they however, appreciated the federal government for the intervention.
Items distributed include 650 sew machines, 650 grinding machine, 1,450 25 kg bags of Rice, 1,450 bags of beans,1,450 10 kg bags of sorghum, 1,450 2kg kegs of vegetable oil, 1,450 1kg of salts, 1,450 tomatoes paste, 1,450 packets of seasoning.
Others are 750 pieces of mosquito nets, 750 pieces of mattresses, 750 pieces of blankets, 750 buckets, 750 cooking pots, 750 stoves, soap 750, detergent 750, maize seeds 595 bags, rice seeds 595, herbicides bottles, 2380, pesticides 1190, growth enhancers, 2,380, liquid fertilisers,2,380 water pump machines 4,760.