National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has donated relief materials to victims of flood in Borno State.
The relief items were in two batches, with donation made by President Muhammadu Buhari from the National Strategic Reserve Stock, and the other from NEMA with support from Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
While handing over the materials to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum at the Zonal office of the agency with the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Usman Muhammed Aji in attendance at Maiduguri warehouse yesterday, the director general of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, explained that the donation was sequel to an approval given by President Muhammadu Buhari for vulnerable persons and persons effected by flood in the state.
He said it was also in line with the assessment conducted and reports to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development as well as the approval by the president for the release of 12,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains from the National Strategic Reserve Stock for distribution to all states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Represented by a director of the agency, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, the director general noted that several states in the country, with Borno inclusive had suffered series of flood including other natural and human induced disasters.
“We are here in Borno to, on behalf of the director general, NEMA commiserate with the good people and Government of Borno State over the unfortunate flood disaster that has ravaged the some parts of the state.
“Your Excellency what we witness in Borno State and indeed in other states of the federation so far, should spur us to concrete and deliberate action that would lead to substantial reduction of flood disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and environmental assets and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural of persons, businesses and communities, in line with the global aspiration as contained in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
“To be able to achieve these, we need to have a better understanding of flood disaster risk, by looking deeply into the previous flood disasters, strengthen the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and establish Local Government Emergency Management Committees to manage disaster risk,” he said.
