Environment
THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) distributed relief materials to victims of recent communal crises across eight Local Government Areas in Nasarawa State on Friday.
Mrs Zubaida Umar, Director-General of NEMA, while presenting the items to the Nasarawa State Government in Lafia for onward distribution to the affected communities, said the intervention was in response to a request by the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA).
Umar, who was represented by the North Central Zonal Director of NEMA, Mallam Suleiman Muhammed, sympathised with the state government and victims over the unfortunate incidents.
She stated that NASEMA had reported the crisis and requested the agency’s intervention, adding that officials from NASEMA and the NEMA Jos Zonal Office jointly assessed the situation before recommending relief materials for the affected persons.
“I want to assure you that NEMA is always willing and ready to provide emergency assistance to Nasarawa State whenever the need arises,” she said.
The NEMA boss also urged the state government to strengthen support for NASEMA to enhance its operational capacity, noting that effective emergency management required prompt response.
Receiving the relief materials, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, commended NEMA for its sustained support in disaster management across the state.
Akabe said the agency had consistently come to the state’s aid whenever it was overwhelmed by emergencies.
“On behalf of the beneficiaries in the eight local government areas, we sincerely appreciate NEMA for this gesture,” he said.
He also lauded the proactive efforts of the Federal Government through the National Economic Council to provide intervention funds to flood-prone states following predictions by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) of possible flooding in parts of the country.
The deputy governor urged NASEMA to intensify public sensitisation and enlightenment campaigns, alongside other preventive measures, to mitigate the impact of the anticipated flooding across communities in the state.
He assured NEMA that the state government would adopt a more proactive approach to disaster management by providing the logistics and other support needed for rapid emergency response.
Earlier, Barr. Benjamin Akwash, Director-General, NASEMA, commended NEMA for the prompt release of the relief materials.
Akwash said that the intervention would provide succour, restore dignity and ease the hardship faced by victims whose homes and means of livelihood were affected by the crises.
He assured that the distribution of the items would be transparent, equitable and targeted at the affected persons in line with global best practices.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the relief materials comprised 1,300 bags of 25kg rice, 1,300 bags of 25kg beans, 1,300 cartons of pasta, 130 cartons of tomato paste, 130 cartons of seasoning, 130 cartons of vegetable oil, and 65 bags of iodised salt. (NAN)
Tags: Communal Crises NEMA Relief materials