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From Felix Ikem, Nsukka and Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Tuesday, distributed relief materials worth millions of naira to persons affected by flood and communal crisis in Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency.
The relief materials, which included food and non-food items, were handed over to representatives of the two local governments that made up the constituency for distribution to the victims.
Speaking at Igbo-Eze North council headquarters, venue of the event, Major Eze, the South East Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, who represented the Director-General of NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, said that the DG was pained by the devastation the disasters caused the people of the constituency and decided to cushion the effect of the disaster with the food and non-food items.
Eze said that the notice of the incident was brought to the attention of NEMA by Hon. Simon Atigwe, representing the constituency in the National Assembly.
‘On behalf of DG NEMA, Ahmed, I flagged off/distribution of food/non-food Items to persons affected by flood/communal violence in Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal constituency.
‘Most of us may recall the two-pronged incidents that affected the area and disrupted its economic activities.
‘We quite appreciate Atigwe who promptly brought this incident to the attention of NEMA and we urge everybody to be very active in promptly reporting disasters in their community,’ he said.
Speaking further, Eze said “the DG was deeply pained by the devastation caused in the community and moved fast to cushion the effect of the disaster by approving the following items for the Federal Constituency:
‘(1) 600x10kg bags of beans, (2) 600x10kg bags of rice, (3) 600x10kg bags of maize, (4) 50x20kg bags of salt, (5) 150x20litres kegs of vegetable oil (6) 300 cartons of 14/28)/carton, (7) 150 cartons of seasonings cubes, (8) tin tomatoes 800×75″x36″x4” mattresses, (9) 800 units of mosquito nets, (10) 800 units of blankets (GB36H).
‘These items were approved by the Federal Government through NEMA to support those that were affected by the disaster,’ Eze said.
The zonal coordinator urged community leaders to engage in discussions with their neighbours if there is any form of disagreement to forestall violence, as well as champion the idea of planting trees to act as windbreakers during windstorms.
He added that the simple practices will make communities more resilient to human instigated and natural disasters. We hope and expect that these items will assist in reducing the disruptive effect of the disaster in the federal constituency.
Responding, Atigwe thanked the Federal Government for bringing succour to the people of his constituency affected by flood and other communal crises.
He said that the constituency is made up of over 150 communities, adding that 90 per cent of them were affected by the disasters.
‘We are grateful to the Federal Government and NEMA that heard our cry and pain and visited us with these relief materials.
‘Their responsiveness to the plight of affected persons has been quite prompt and encouraging a d I believe this will give my people a good sense of belonging.
‘Igbo-Eze North/Udenu federal constituency has over 150 communities with over 500,000 population, 90 per cent of the population were affected by one disaster or the other, with many displaced from their community, homes, farmland and means of livelihood,’ he said.
Mrs Nneka Ugwu, a victim of the flood in Udenu LG thanked the Federal Government for the relief materials.
‘This I believe will go a long way to ameliorate the hardship my family had been going through since the flood incident,’ she said.
Another victim and beneficiary of the relief materials, Mr Sunday Ekeh, who lost his crops to flooding, prayed to God to bless the Federal Government and NEMA officials for remembering him and others.
Hon Ejike Itodo, the council chairman of Igbo-Eze North LG, Mrs Nkechi Eneh, Executive Secretary of Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), traditional rulers from both LG, stakeholders, among others were present during the occasion.
