July 16, (THEWILL) – The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief items as an emergency response to the over 1,000 victims of the recent flood disaster in Jalingo.
The distribution was made on Thursday in Jalingo, Taraba state.
While distributing the items to the victims, Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed, Director General of the agency, said that the gesture was in response to the directive from the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Sadiya Farouk.
The DG, who was represented by Mr. Alli Kadiri, Head of Operations, NEMA Field Operations Office in Yola, said that the main relief would be provided to victims after an assessment of the disaster was conducted.
He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to respond quickly to the flood that hit Jalingo in recent time, and caused wanton destruction of homes and farms, displacing many households.
”It is in line with the above directive that NEMA is carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the disaster, and will forward the report immediately for onward response from the Federal Government.”
He listed some of the items to include: Mattresses, mats, blankets, beans, rice and beverages among many other items.
He appealed to the beneficiaries not to view the gesture as a compensation but as an emergency response to ameliorate their immediate suffering.
Mohammed. however, cautioned people to stop building houses along waterways to avoid such occurrences. while recalling that the agency had already sensitised the public with the report from NiMET to desist from inhabiting the bank of rivers.
