NEMA distributes relief materials to 65 flood-ravaged Abia communities

The National Emergency Management Agency and the Abia State counterpart on Monday began the distribution of relief materials to 2017 flood victims in some communities in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria learnt that 65 communities, which spanned 14 out of the 17 local government areas of the state, were ravaged by the incident.
NEMA Director-General, Mustapha Maihaja, underscored the need for greater collaboration between the agency and Abia Government in the efforts to mitigate the impact of flood in the communities.
Maihaja expressed concern that flood, though a global phenomenon, arising from climate change, global warming and human activities, had become a perennial occurrence in the state.
He said: “We must, therefore, work together to develop a comprehensive and response system in the state to minimise the adverse impacts of floods on our people.”
He recommended proper town planning and clearing of drains long before the rainy season, as veritable means of mitigating the risk of flood in the communities.
Maihaja, represented by a Director in the agency, Kayode Fagbemi, commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for taking measures to tackle flooding in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia.
He expressed delight that the governor had constructed drains and an underground tunnel to channel rain water from Ifeobara pond to Waterside.
Also, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Eme Okoro, said that the government was determined to partner with NEMA in its quest to mitigate the impact of flood in the area.
Okoro urged NEMA to ensure that the state got its fair share of relief materials provided by the Federal Government for flood victims across the country.
SEMA Executive Secretary, Ada Achi said that the state was faced by an array of flood and flood-related disasters, such as landslide and erosion.
Achi, however, said that the present administration had initiated steps, including the construction of drains and demolition of buildings on waterways in Aba to check the menace.
In his brief remark, Hon. Ossy Prestige, representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, thanked NEMA for the relief materials.
Prestige, however, said that the list of the materials showed that the quantity given to the state was “grossly inadequate”.
Prestige said: “The flood victims in Abia are quite numerous.  So, like Oliver Twist, I wish to ask for more so that the items will not only go round the communities but make the desired impact on the beneficiaries.”
Traditional rulers, community leaders and major stakeholders from the benefitting communities, who attended the flag off, thanked NEMA for the gesture.
They also appealed to NEMA to improve on the quantity of the materials to the state in order to ensure that beneficiaries actually felt the impact of the governments’ gesture.
Rev. Bobson Idika, who spoke on behalf of Ohafia community, urged the Federal Government to go beyond the provision of relief materials to finding a lasting solution to the problem.
Idika said: “Although, the provision of relief materials is well appreciated, efforts should be made to tackle the problem itself.”
The relief materials, numbering 23 items, included food and non-food items, such as rice, garri,  beans, tomatoes, milk, mattresses, insecticidal treated nets, blankets and wrappers.
The others were building materials; cement, corrugated roofing sheets and nails, livelihood and restoration tools, such as fishing nets, among other items.