Emmanuel Ekpo, Uyo
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, has flagged off the distribution of Presidential Palliatives to victims of the 2022 flood in Akwa Ibom State.
The Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana, while handing over relief materials to the National Emergency Management Agency for onward distribution to the victims on Monday, in Uyo, the state capital, expressed concern that the Niger Delta region was worse hit by the flood because of its topography and location.
Umana, who was represented by the member of the governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission for Akwa Ibom State Dr Emem Wills, said though, relief materials cannot replace the losses associated with the flood, it would help to alleviate the burden faced by the people.
He said that the gesture is not just a physical distribution of the materials but the compassion and empathy of the government towards the affected persons.
He said: “We are aware that no amount of relief provided by the government can replace the losses as a result of the flood. However, it is our candid belief that the relief items will help alleviate the burden currently faced by our people. This gesture is not just a physical distribution of materials, rather it represents the compassion and empathy of the government towards its people.”
According to him, the communities highly imparted by the flood have already been identified by NEMA through the Needs Assessment conducted after the flood, adding that the identified communities have been listed to benefit from the relief materials.
Speaking after the handover ceremony, the Director-general of NEMA, Alh Ahmed Habib, while appreciating the federal government for the gesture, assured that the items would distribute only to those who were truly affected by the 2022 flood.
The DG who was represented by a Supervisor NEMA, Mr Demien Egwu, lamented that the Niger Delta has been a collection centre of water-related activities from the North down to the South.
“The Niger Delta is always exposed to flooding and another attendant effect of flooding because it is the collection centre of all water-related activities from the North down to the South. And anytime this happens there is a need for a recovery process.
“I want to thank, President Mohammadu Buhari, through the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs who, in his magnanimity supported the people of the Niger Delta, with relief materials. I want to assure the Minister that these items will be distributed to those who were truly affected by the 2022 flood. We will do this in conjunction with Akwa Ibom State Management Agency and other relevant stakeholders” The DG said.
The materials approved for distribution include mattresses, pillows, and blankets which fall under the Social Relief Care Pack category while those in the category of Nutritional Pack include Cartons of noodles, bags of rice, and beans.
The livelihood items category includes grinding machines while the building materials category includes cement, roofing sheet ceiling board and others.