The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has distributed relief materials to persons affected by fire outbreak and gully erosion in Umuahia South and Ohafia Local Government Areas(LGAs) of Abia, respectively.
The exercise was conducted in collaboration with the Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on Friday in Umuahia.
Both food and non-food items were provided to the victims.
Items distributed include bags of rice, cartons of seasoning cubes, spaghetti, tomato paste, vegetable oil, iodised salt and mosquito nets.
In his remarks, Acting Head of Operations, NEMA Imo/Abia, Mr Innocent Nweze, represented by Mr Innocent Ochulo, said the materials were approved by the Presidency through NEMA.
Nweze admitted that the relief couldn’t fully recover the victims’ losses, but described it as a Federal Government’s gesture to cushion their suffering.
He urged residents to minimise human-induced actions that increase vulnerability to disasters.
He conveyed the sympathy of the Director- General, NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, to affected individuals and communities across both LGAs.
Earlier, SEMA Executive Secretary, Dr Sunday Jackson, said the distribution followed a joint assessment by SEMA and NEMA Owerri Operations Office.
He said his office received reports of disasters from Ohafia and Umuahia South, adding that a request for joint on-the-spot assessment was immediately initiated.
According to him, the assessment report was forwarded to NEMA headquarters and the approval for intervention was granted.
Jackson expressed gratitude to Deputy Gov. Ikechukwu Emetu for promptly alerting SEMA to the disaster impact in Ohafia LGA.
He also thanked Gov. Alex Otti for providing an enabling environment that ensured seamless implementation of the distribution exercise.
He further appreciated the D-G NEMA for graciously approving the relief items for victims of fire and gully erosion.
In a vote of thanks, community leader, Chief Felix Umeh, expressed gratitude to federal and state governments for the intervention.
