The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has launched the distribution of relief materials to about 21000 victims of the 2022 flood disaster in Addamawa and five other States in the country.
The relief materials, according to the ministry, are meant for persons who suffered from severe humanitarian crises as a result of heavy flooding in 2022 in the most affected States of Adamawa, Anambra, Kogi, Kebbi, Oyo and River States.
This was made known by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Abel Enitan, at the grand finale of the ceremony of the ECOWAS post-2022 flood disaster response in Adamawa State Nigeria.
Speaking at the occasion, Enitan said the intervention supported by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Red Cross Society, came at a timely moment, considering the chronic hardship Nigerians are going through, noting that this would go a long way in bringing succour to thousands of the intended beneficiaries.
“Today, we gather to mark a significant milestone in our collective efforts to alleviate the suffering of flood victims in Nigeria. The 2022 flood disaster had a devastating impact, but thanks to the swift response of the Nigerian Government and its partners, especially the ECOWAS Commission and Nigerian Red Cross Society which has enabled substantial progress in addressing the needs of the affected communities,” Enitan said.
“This project will be providing food items, multipurpose cash assistance, and boreholes across the selected communities, aside from capacity strengthening for personnel, community representatives and volunteers to be engaged during the life cycle of the project.
“Ultimately, the effort is aimed at alleviating the living conditions of 3,500 households, translating to about 21,000 affected persons in the 6 selected States, with Adamawa State having 1,000 households in the two selected LGAs. This, no doubt, is consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Enitan further explained that the project “will be targeting the most vulnerable within the project locations such as widows/widowers, people with disabilities (PWDs), pregnant and lactating mothers, sick household heads (bedridden), displaced persons, people in IDP camps and refugees.”
While flagging off the distribution of the relief materials, Governor Ahamdu Umuru Fintiri commended the three organizations for looking into the plight of victims of one of the worst floods ever experienced in the State two years ago.
Represented by the Commissioner of Humanitarian Service, Bello Diram, the Governor said “the relief materials could not have come at a better time than this particularly when Nigerians are facing hunger.”
The Governor said although the effects of the 2022 flooding cannot be forgotten in hurry and the Adamawa State government had put a lot of effort in the recovery and rehabilitation processes, it is yet to go into the process of development that will stop the perennial flooding experienced whenever there is flooding.
“Providing a buffer Dam in Dasin in Adamawa State will provide the needed solution to this flooding not only in Adamawa State but also in some States that are on the coastline of River Benue,” Governor Fintiri said.
Speaking at the event, the National President of Nigerian Red Cross Society, Oluyemisi Adeaga said a total of 2000 households and about 12,000 beneficiaries would benefit from the distribution of relief materials.
“The items include 25kg of parboiled rice, 15 kg of Gari,12kg of Beans and 5 litres of Red oil and palm oil as well as a cash of N91,500 : 00 was presented to the beneficiaries,” Adeaga said.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to reporters expressed their joy over the relief materials and prayed that the government would find a lasting solution to the perennial flooding in the area.
