NEMA distributes relief to 1280 individuals in Enugu
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed
multi-million naira worth of relief materials to 1280 individuals
affected by windstorm disaster at Agbogugu community in Awgu Local
Government Area of Enugu State.
The violent windstorm disaster, which ravaged both residential and
commercial buildings in parts of the community, occurred on April 23,
2018.
Speaking during direct distribution of the materials to the affected
persons at the community on Thursday, the Director-General of NEMA, Mr
Mustapha Maihaja, said that the Federal Government gesture was aimed
at cushioning the effect of the natural disaster.
Maihaja, who was represented by South-East Coordinator of NEMA, Mr
Walson Ibarakumo, noted that the disaster was brought to the
attention of NEMA through media reports and Enugu State Emergency
Management Agency (ESEMA).
The director-general said that the agency had earlier carried out a
joint assessment to ascertain the level of the disaster in the
affected area on April 25, 2018.
He added that the team that went for the assessment assignment were
made up of its staff from NEMA South-East, ESEMA and a member of the
Federal House of Representatives, Chief Toby Okechukwu , who
represents the community at the National Assembly.
According to him, the assessment revealed that several buildings both
residential and commercial had their roofs blown off as well as
economic trees pulled down leading to displacement of residents and
dislocation of means of livelihood.
“The assessment equally revealed that most of the affected persons do
not have the capacity to rebuild their houses or restart their
businesses. Thus, the submission made to our headquarters for
assistance to the affected persons is the course for our
gathering here today.
“The responsiveness of the Federal Government on the plight of the
disaster victims has been quite prompt and encouraging.
“We received approval of relief items in accordance with our mandate
and have delivered same to the affected persons in this community,’’
he said.
The director-general, who did not disclose the amount spent on
procuring the relief materials, noted that the relief materials was
not a direct replace of what the people of the community had lost, but
“to cushion the effect of the unfortunate incident’’.
Responding, President General of the community, Chief Chijioke Udeh,
lauded the Federal Government for the intervention, saying that the
gesture had given the community and affected persons “great relief
from the burden of the disaster’’.
“As a community, we are grateful to the Federal Government for these
relief materials as well as other organizations and individuals that
had contributed to drawing the attention of the Federal Government to
our plight,’’ he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Linus Okoli, thanked the Federal
Government for the relief materials, adding that he would use the
bundles of roofing sheet he received to re-roof his house complete as
the project had been a challenge to him.
The relief materials donated to the victims included: 250 bags of
rice; 250 bags of garri; 250 bags of beans; 250 bags of maize as well
as bags of cement.
Others are hundreds of bundles of roofing sheets, nails, detergents,
nylon mats,
mosquito nets, cartons of bathing soaps, clothes, mattresses, blankets
among others.
