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Olabode Adaramola
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has donated grains to vulnerable persons and additional relief materials to flood victims in Niger state.
The Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, said while handing- over the items to Niger State government that the grains was part of the 12,000 metric tons of assorted grains from the National Strategic Reserve Stock approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ahmed, represented by the Head, NEMA Minna Operations Office, Hajiya Zainab Sa’idu, explained that the grains were to be distributed to all states of the federation including FCT to give succour to the most vulnerable groups of persons.
He said the grains allocated for Niger state were; 166 metric tons of maize of 3,320 bags of 50kg, 142 metric tons of sorghum of 2,840 bags of 50kg and 6.2 metric tons of millet of 1,250 bags of 50kg.
Ahmed said the grains were to be distributed to deserving persons in conjunction with senators from the state, minister representing Niger state, officials of the Nigerian Red Cross, religious and community leaders, officials of NSEMA and NEMA operations office.
He said the grains were to cushion the effect of banditry, economic downturn and pre-harvest food shortage that had increased the vulnerability of a segment of the populace in the recent past.
Furthermore, the director general disclosed that the agency had delivered additional food and non-food relief items to further support persons affected by flood disasters in Niger state.
He said the items comprise 1,000 bags of 10kg rice, 1,000 bags of 10kg beans, 1,000 bags of 10kg maize, 75 bags of salt 20kg, 75 kegs of vegetable oil 20litres, 75 cartons of reasoning cubes and 75 cartons of tin tomato.
Other items were 8,000 pieces of nylon mats, 1,000 pieces of mosquito-treated nets 60p cartoons of bath soap, 2,500 pieces of guide brocade, 1,000 pieces of children’s wear, 1,000 pieces of women’s wear and 1,000 pieces of men’s wear.
He appealed to the governor of Niger state to set up and strengthen local government emergency management committees in all local government areas to take disaster management to the grassroots with global best practices.
He said disasters were local and the first life-saving responders are always local, urging the state government to set aside predictable funds for Niger SEMA to enable the agency respond quickly to disaster safeguard lives and livelihoods.
Alhaji Ahmed Inga, Director General of Niger state Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), who received the relief items on behalf of the state government, appreciated the Federal government for prompt and continuous response to the plight of the state.
He said that NSEMA would collaborate effectively with other team members to ensure that the items reach the actual beneficiaries across the state.
