The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Monday donated relief materials to flood victims and vulnerable persons in Edo State.
The relief materials were presented by NEMA Director, Planning, Research and Forcastng, Hajiya Kassim, on behalf of the Director-General, Mustapha Ahmed.
Kassim said; “The donated items are in two categories. The first is for the vulnerable as approved by the president while the second category is for those affected by flood in the three local governments in the State.’’
“I want to crave the indulgence of the Edo State Governor that the items be shared immediately for those affected by the recent flood in the state.”
She said the items for flood victims include, rice, beans, maize, salt, vegetable oil, seasoning cubes, tin tomato, mats, mosquitoes net, toilets soap, guinea brocade, children and men’s wears while that to the vulnerable include, maize, sorghum and garri.
The Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, received the items on behalf of the State Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Shaibu urged President Muhammadu Buhari to muster the will to dredge the River Niger as the solution to the perennial flooding across the country.
He said; “Beyond the Federal, State Governments or individuals coming to the rescue of flood victims by providing shelter or giving them food. I think we should look for permanent solution, which is the dredging of the River Niger.”
“Until the River Niger is dredged, the nation will continue to provide relief materials to victims, but the dredging would drastically reduce the impact of the flood in the Country.’’
The Deputy Governor assured that the items will be distributed to the victims, adding that there is hunger in the land and it requires the collective responsibility of all to deal with it.