The National
Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has assisted the Taraba State Government
with relief materials to alleviate the sufferings of residents who were
affected by flood.
The relief items
consisted of food stuffs, cloths and building materials. They are to be
distributed in the six affected local government areas namely Karim-Lamido,
Lau, Gassol, Wukari, Ibi and Ardo-Kola.
The North
Report gathered that the agency had earlier visited the affected areas for
an on-the-spot assessment of the level of damage in order to determine the
level of Federal Government’s assistance to be rendered.
The
Director-General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi said the materials should be
distributed directly to the affected persons by the Operations Office in
collaboration with the officials from the Taraba State Emergency Management
Agency (SEMA).
Sidi was
represented by the Head of Operations in Gombe, Saidu Ahmed Minin.
The relief
materials included 1,800 bags of 25kg rice, 1,500 bags of 25kg maize, 300
bundles of roofing sheets, 1,000 pieces of ceiling board, 100 packets of zinc
nails, 1,300 bags of cements, 2,120 bags of 25kg guinea corn and 1,800 bags of
25kg beans.
Other items were
150 mattresses, 150 blankets, 150 mosquito nets, 100 plastic buckets, 50
cartons of Omo detergent; 50 cartons of bathing soap, 200 pieces of wax prints
and 200 pieces of guinea brocade. The materials were stored at the agency’s
warehouse along Jalingo-Yola Road.
The River Benue
that cut across six of the 16 local government areas is one tremendous gift of
nature, which most times are a source of tears for the people.
The people use the
fertile plains of the Benue for all-seasons cultivation, as water from the
river serves the people in terms of irrigation and other domestic purposes.
However, when the rainy season peaks, the river banks overflows, wreaking
havoc. In 2012 and last year, scores of people were killed by flood while
domestic animals and birds, farmlands and many homes were destroyed.
Secretary to the
State Government (SSG) Anthony Jellason received the materials on behalf of
Governor Darius Ishaku.
He appreciated
NEMA and the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for the assistance.
He revealed that
the government had spent N50 million to procure, stockpile and distribute
relief materials to those affected by the flood.
The decision, he
said, was informed by the seasonal rainfall prediction by the Nigeria
Meteorological Agency and alert from the Cameroonian authorities on the release
of excess water from the Lagdo Dam.
He stated that the
magnitude of the incident was overwhelming for the state to bear alone, owing
to financial challenges currently confronting it.
“The D-G of NEMA
was approached and a letter was written to the President on the plight of the
victims and they responded promptly,” he said.
He assured that
the materials will be judiciously distributed. He reminded the Federal
Government to categorise Taraba in the map of flood vulnerable states in Zone
1(A) because of the long stretch and disastrous effect of River Benue on the
state.
The governor
solicited the support of all stakeholders in disaster management, urging them
to devise measures of preventing or ameliorating negative impacts of flood
disaster in the country.
“This can be
achieved by heeding to early warning signs,” he said.
-TheNation
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