The Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday distributed relief materials and grains to victims of flood in Osun.
Speaking during the distribution in Osogbo, NEMA Director-General, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, said that the damage and loss assessment carried out by the agency revealed that 4,200 households were affected by the floods.
Ahmed also said that the report revealed that several houses were destroyed, while cultivated hectares of farmlands were submerged.
He said following the assessment report, President Muhammadu Buhari, had approved 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 FCT.
Represented by Mr Slaku Bijimi, the Deputy Director, Disaster Risk Reduction of the agency, Ahmed said the grains and the relief materials would be distributed directly to the deserving persons, Adaeventsnews gathered.
Ahmed said that the distribution would be done in collaboration with the state government, senators from the state and the minister representing the state.
“We all agree that in the last couple of weeks, several states of the federation including Osun State have suffered widespread flood.
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“The flood unfortunately resulted in loss of lives, human displacement, loss of means of livelihood and socio-economic dislocation.
“The current global economic meltdown and pre-harvest food shortages have further exposed the vulnerability of the affected population.
“It is pertinent to reiterate the global standard that no government anywhere in the world can compensate individual losses from disaster occurrence.
“In the same vein, the Federal Government through NEMA cannot compensate persons impacted /traumatised by disasters.
“Yet we all have responsibilities to help them get back and restart their normal life by assisting them with this type of relief intervention being presented today.
“This relief intervention is a testimony that the Federal Government through NEMA is always concerned about the welfare and wellbeing of the good people of Osun State,” he said.
In his remarks, the General Manager, Osun Emergency Management Agency, Mr Amos Adejinle, said that the grains and relief materials would go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the affected masses in the state.
Also, Gov. Gboyega Oyetola, appreciated the Federal Government for bringing smiles to the faces of the victims of flood in the state.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Wole Oyebamiji, Oyetola said that since the inception of his administration, the state had been in the good book of NEMA.
He said the state had been receiving notable assistance for the benefit of the teeming population that had been affected by one disaster or the other.
Mr Abdulraheem Adekilekun, who represented Muslim community at the event, said the distribution of the relief materials show that government was responsive to people’s needs.
Adekilekun appealed to government to ensure that the materials get to the vulnerable persons.
Also, Pastor Amos Ogunrinde, the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Osun Chapter, commended the Federal Government for the relief materials.
Ogunrinde urged government to ensure that the grains and relief materials get to the affected persons.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items distributed included bags of rice, garri, maize, vegetable oil, sorghum, tin tomatoes and seasoning cubes, among others.
None food items distributed are nylon mats, treated mosquito nets, bath soaps, guinea brocade, children wears, women’s wear and men’s wears among others.
