By Inusa Ndahi, Maiduguri
The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has donated relief materials worth millions of naira 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.
Handing over the materials to governor of Borno State, Prof Babagana Zulum at the zonal office of the agency in Maiduguri on Thursday, the Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, explained that the donation was sequel to an approval given by President Buhari for vulnerable persons and persons effected by flood in the state.
In attendance at the event was the zonal coordinator of NEMA for the North-East geo-political zone, Usman Muhammed Aji.
The DG said that donation was also in line with the assessment conducted and reported 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 of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
Represented by a director of the agency, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, the DG noted that “several states in the country, Borno inclusive, have suffered series of flood and other natural and human induced disasters.”
He added, “We are here in Borno State, on behalf of the Director General, NEMA, to commiserate with the good people and government of Borno State over the unfortunate flood disaster that has ravaged the some parts of the state.
“The 2022 Annual Flood Outlook, AFO, forecasted that 233 local government areas in 32 states and the FCT are within highly probable flood risk areas, while 212 local government areas in 35 states of the federation are within moderately probable flood risk areas.
“Already the agency is inundated with reports of flood disaster in more than 450 local government areas from 36 states and the FCT and still counting, causing colossal loss of lives, livelihood, properties and infrastructures.
“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 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 Agencies, SEMAs and establish Local Government Emergency Management Committees, LGEMCs, to manage disaster risk.
“Additionally, we have to listen and take full advantage of early warning alerts from the National Metrological Service Agency, NiMET, and NEMA; and ensure that new infrastructure does not introduce new risk, and also have the political will to invest in disaster risk reduction activities through adequate budget appropriations in lieu of the National Flood Response Plan that was recently approved by the Federal Government.”
He further explained that “the Federal Government, through NEMA cannot compensate the traumatic experiences of persons affected by disaster impacts, yet we have to help people alleviate their sufferings, with these, the Federal Government approved relief items to ameliorate the suffering of the affected persons.
“Therefore, the Federal Government has approved the delivery of the listed materials to Borno State, including: 1,000 bags of 10 kilogram rice; 1,000 bags of 10 kiligram veans and 1,000 bags of 10 kilogram maize.
“Other items are: 75 bags of 20 kiligram salt; 75 kegs of 20-litre vegetable oil; 150 cartons of seasoning cubes (magi/knorr) and 75 cartons of 50-sachet tomatoes.
“This is in addition to 7,350 pieces of nylon mats, 1,000 pieces of treated mosquito nets; 600 cartons of bath soap; 2,500 pieces of fuve-yard guinea brocade; 1,000 pieces of new children’s wear; 1,000 pieces of new women’s wear; 1,000 pieces of new men’s wear.
“Let me use this opportunity to acknowledge the effort of the Borno State government under the able leadership of His Excellency, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, mni, CON, for providing the first line of support to the affected population.”
Receiving the relief items, Governor Zulum, who was represented by the Director General, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, appreciated the gesture, as according to her, the relief items came at the right time when the state government is working assiduously to better the plight of flood victims across the state.
Kolo stressed that over 37,000 households and 67,000 farmlands were affected by the flood disaster across many communities in the state.
She assured that the items would be distributed judiciously to beneficiaries in order to cushion effect of the flood disaster on their immediate economic hardship.
