The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Thursday, officially presented food items and other relief materials to flood victims in Bayelsa State.
The presentation followed weeks of protests by the State Government and stakeholders over the delay and lacklustre attitude displayed towards the State despite the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari for all interventionist agencies to help all the States ravaged by flood with grains and other items since last month.
NEMA, however, through its zonal office presented some non-food items, which were described as not enough to mitigate the plight of growing numbers of displaced persons in IDP camps in the State.
But the Director-General of NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, while presenting the latest items to the Bayelsa Goverment, said said the Federal Government had approved the release of 12,000 metric tons of assorted grains from the National Strategic Reserve Stock for distribution to all States of the federation and the FCT.
Ahmed, who was represented by the Director of Search and Rescue in NEMA, Air Commodore Edward Kolawole Adedokun, pointed out that the items were expected to give succour to the most vulnerable groups of persons, who were displaced by flood.
He said: “The items include; 1105 metric tons of maize (2,100 bags of 50kg) 88.7 metric tons of sorghum (1,774 bags of 50kg), 98.7 metric tons of garri (3,948 bags of 25kg). The grains will be distributed directly to the deserving persons in collaboration with officials of the Bayelsa SEMA and the NEMA Zonal Office.
“The additional approved relief materials in form of food and non-food items to further support persons affected by the flood disaster in Bayelsa State will arrive soon. They include; 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 (201trs), 150 cartons of seasoning cubes (maggi/knorr), 75 cartons of tin tomato (50 sachet).
“The Non-Food Items are, 8,000 pieces of nylon mats, 1,000 pieces of mosquito nets (treated), 600 cartons of bath soap, 2,500 pieces of guinea brocade (5 yards), 1,000 pieces of children’s wear, 1,000 pieces of women’s wear (new), 1,000 pieces of men’s wear.”
He also acknowledged that several States of Nigeria including Bayelsa have suffered widespread flood disaster in the last couple of months, which needed government’s attention, explaining that the unfortunate disaster has resulted in loss of lives, human displacement, loss of means of livelihoods and socio-economic dislocation.
Receiving the items on behalf of the State government, Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr David Alagoa, appreciated the federal government agency for identifying with the State during the disaster.
