NEMA Donates Relief Materials To Flood Victims, Herdsmen

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has donated relief materials to victims of flood and herdsmen attacks in Benue State.
Handing over the materials to the State Governor at the Makurdi office of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), 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 the Director of ICT, Alhaji, Sani Lokoja, the Director General noted that “for some period now, several states in the country, including Benue, have suffered wide spread flood, including other natural and human-induced disasters. This has resulted in loss of lives, livelihood, displacements and social economic dislocation”.
Recalling the incidents of various natural and human-induced disasters, including flood, in parts of the state, Ahmed said, “the disasters which were reported by the SEMA on September 18 and 22, 2022, occurred as a result of heavy down pour and release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameron, while others were as a result of unfortunate human activities.
“NEMA is here today to commiserate with the Government and the good people of the state over the unfortunate incident and to present to you a wide array of relief items to cushion the impact of the disaster on the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are presently in host communities across the affected LGAs”.
He appealed to the State Governments to take disaster risk reduction to the grass root saying, “since most disasters occur at the grassroots, the setting up of very functional and vibrant Local Emergency Management Committee, LEMC, in every LGA will go a long way in mitigating disaster before they occur. This will ensure timely intervention during disasters and curtail losses.”