National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with the Ebonyi State government has distributed relief materials to the 2022 flood and fire disaster victims in the 13 local government areas of the state.
The items distributed to the victims include, bags of rice, bags of beans, bags of garri, mosquito nets, mat and wrappers.
At the event, the South East zonal coordinator of NEMA, Mrs Ngozi Echeazu, said the agency in collaboration with the state government decided to embark on direct distribution to enable them reach the grassroots victims.
“We are collaborating with the state government to enable us to reach the grassroots people. We are embarking on direct distribution because we believe that by doing so, the distribution will not be hijacked but will reach the real victims.”
She maintained that the agency is also collaborating with the state government to ensure that those residing at flood prone areas are sensitised on the need to relocate to avoid the disaster, again.
In her address, the wife of the governor, Mrs Uzoamaka Nwifuru, said the distribution would be done in different phases, adding that apart from the flood and fire victims, people with disabilities were also captured in the distribution.
Mrs Nwifuru urged the beneficiaries to be mindful of incidents capable of causing disaster in their environment and assured of the state government’s resolve to continue to assist the less privileged and victims of different disasters.
She called on them to continue to pray for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Francis Nwifuru for wisdom and understanding towards tackling the myriad of challenges confronting the country.
Meanwhile, there was a mild drama during the distribution as Government House security personnel, residents of Abakaliki metropolis among others besieged the venue of the distribution and carted away the materials.
LEADERSHIP gathered that while the distribution was still ongoing, some victims who besieged the Old Government House, Abakaliki, venue of the distribution, rushed to where the materials were parked and carted them away.
Some of the victims who were unable to receive the materials accused the security agencies of compromise and urged the state government to investigate the alleged looting.
A victim, Mrs Ngozi Ogodo who expressed dismay over the looting said, “It is very disheartening that while the State Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Monitoring, Mrs. Ann Aligwe was calling the names of the victims, security personnels that were commissioned to ensure the smooth distribution started looting the materials.
“Unfortunately, many of us couldn’t get the materials. We had to go back to our local government area without the materials we came for. None of the victims of flood or fire disaster could get the materials.
