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No fewer than 7,374 households and victims of the 2022 flood in Abia State have received relief materials from the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
The Eastern Updates gathered that victims were drawn from six of 17 Local Councils.
The materials were handed over to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Owerri Zone, through the Ministry’s Director of Infrastructure Development, Azeez Oyeniyi.
Obong Umana Umana who is the outgone Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, explained that the exercise was the first phase, while the second phase will follow thereafter to ensure orderly distribution of the items to the beneficiaries.
The former Minister of State, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chief Henry Ikoh, who was represented by the Abia State Commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dimgba Eruba, commended the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, for his kind gesture towards flood victims.
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He noted that though no amount of relief provided by government can replace the losses occasioned by flood, the relief materials would help in alleviating burdens of the beneficiaries.
While taking delivery of the items comprising; building materials, nutritional packs/foods, and social relief care packs, Head of NEMA Operations (Owerri Office ) that oversees NEMA in Abia state, Ifeanyi Nnaji, assured that the materials would be distributed orderly and strictly to the beneficiaries.
NDDC Director in Abia State, Godwin Nosiri, said the Commission and NEMA have been trying in various ways to assuage the pains of victims of flood and other natural disasters and would continue to intervene when the challenges arise.
On his part, Executive Secretary of Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Sunday Jackson, said the state has been receiving and distributing relief materials since 2005. He called for subsequent interventions, especially for Ukwa West Local Council, which has been excluded in the past allocations.