The National Emergency Management Agency has commenced the distribution of relief materials to victims of flood, windstorm and fire in Obingwa, Osisioma and Ukwa West local government areas of Abia.
The Head of NEMA, Imo/Abia Operations, Evans Ugoh, announced this in a statement made available to newsmen in Umuahia on Sunday.
Ugoh listed the relief items to include bags of rice, beans, garri, salt, cement, nails, vegetable oil and roofing sheets.
He stated that the materials were handed over to representatives of the affected communities, including Ovom-Amairinabua, Amaise, Obiaha-Ogwe, Umunwarie, Umuechem and Umuoru-Umuode at a brief ceremony in Umuahia.
He said the Director-General of the agency, Air Vice Marshal Mohammadu Mohammed (retd.), commiserated with the victims over the hardship caused by the disasters.
He stated that the materials were approved through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
According to him, the items are meant to cushion the effects of the disasters on the victims.
He further stated that some of the items would be distributed to the victims directly by NEMA, Abia State Emergency Management Agency, security agencies and non-governmental organisations.
”The NEMA boss appealed for peace during the distribution,” he added.
The statement quoted the lawmaker representing Ukwa West, in the Abia House of Assembly, Goodwin Adiele, to have lauded NEMA and the Federal Government for the gesture.
It further quoted one of the beneficiaries, Eze Nwagbara of Amaise Umuizide Autonomous Community in Obingwa to have also commended the government and NEMA for the assistance.
