By Tina George, Minna
One month after flood submerged some areas of Suleja local government area of Niger state, killing 14 people, destroying properties worth millions of Naira and left some people homeless, the victims have received relief materials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The materials distributed are food and non-food items, including 551 bags of rice, 553 bags of beans, 553 bags of maize, 56 kegs of vegetable oil, 90 cartons of seasoning, 28 bags of salt, 46 cartons of tin tomatoes, 1,106 pieces of mattress and 1,106 pieces of mosquito net.
Other are 1,106 pieces of guinea brocade, 1,106 pieces of blanket, 1,272 bags of cement, 1,272 bundles of roofing sheet, 141 bags of three inches nail, 282 packets of zinc nail and 1,272 pieces of ceiling board.
The relief materials were presented to the victims by the Head of Operations, Mrs Lydia Wagami on behalf of the Director-General of the Agency, AVM Muhammadu Alhaji Muhammed.
According to her though the relief material will not compensate for the losses, it will provide some form of relief to affected persons and cushion the effects of the disaster on the victims.
“Even though l am standing here to flag off the distribution of relief materials to victims affected by this sad event, may I quickly say that there is nothing that can bríng back the lives of the loved ones we have lost to this mayhem.
“May I also say at this point that NEMA
does not compensate for any loss suffered but provide some form of relief to affected persons in order to cushion the effects of the disaster on them
“This distribution is a demonstration of the federal government’s concern for the
plight of its people which is the passion of his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari. Therefore, I assure you all that these materials will today be directly distributed to the affected persons,” she said.
Wagami called on the people to beware of the risks around them in order to enable them make efforts to prevent the occurrence of the disaster or reduce it to the barest minimum.
She called on the people living in lowlands, along river banks and on flood plains to relocate to higher grounds, while urging them to also stop dumping refuse in drainages and culverts.
“I strongly call people of Suleja and its environs resident in lowlands and along river banks as well as those on flood plains to please relocate to higher grounds. “
The Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Mohammed Sani Musa, who appreciated the federal government for the distribution of relief materials, cautioned the people on the need to stop building on waterways and culverts.
