Kogi flood victims get more relief materials from FG

The National Emergency Management Agency on Thursday commenced the distribution of another round of relief materials to flood victims in nine local government areas of Kogi.
NEMA Director-General, Mustapha Maihaja, who monitored the distribution of the materials to the victims at the IDPs camp in Lokoja, said that they were the second consignment being released to the state and other affected areas across the country.
Maihaja said that the materials, which included foods, non-foods and drugs, were in fulfillment of Federal Government’s promise to reduce the sufferings of the flood victims.
The NEMA boss said that he insisted on coming to Lokoja to ensure that the materials were given directly to the real victims, and also prevent possible diversion.
He said: “I will also use the opportunity to identify gaps in the activities of the agency, and also identify further areas of need of the victims.”
The Director-General said that the state of emergency declared on the flood situations in some parts of the country was still in force, saying that the agency would soon move to the recovery stage of its operation.
According to him, the recovery process will include getting the victims to their houses and possibly build houses for them on high grounds to find lasting solution to the perennial flooding problem.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 209 households, comprising of 1,241 persons, are currently at the camp located at FSP Model Pry School, Aniebo quarters in Lokoja.
NAN further reports that 806 children are among the displaced person at the camp.
Maihaja, who also inspected the clinic at the camp, was told that there was shortage of essential drugs for women and children.
A Nurse, who refused to disclose her name, told the NEMA boss that many of the women in the camp were anaemic, while majority of the children had respiratory infection, malaria and gastroenteritis problems.
She urged him to assist the clinic with necessary drugs, adding that she was always forced to refer some of the victims to general hospitals for better treatment.
The Kogi Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba, had, while receiving Maihaja in his office, thanked the Federal Government for coming to the aid of the victims, saying that the state had complemented the gesture by providing a date base of the victims.
He advised that a permanent solution be found to the problem of incessant flood disaster in the state and other parts of the country to reduce the loss of lives and property.