19th October, 2022
One-third of the land mass in Anambra State has been devastated by flood which has also taken 17 lives as of Tuesday.
The floods have also caused the collapse of infrastructure, public and private buildings and means of livelihoods of residents, the deputy governor, Dr Onyekachi Ibezim, said on Wednesday.
He was addressing officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) who brought relief materials to the state in Awka.
Ibezim said the “devastating flood’ hit seven of the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
“The situation is too strenuous for us to handle all alone. Officials of relevant ministries and agencies are deployed to ensure the welfare of the victims in those camps,’’ he said.
Ibezim thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and NEMA for the relief materials provided but, appealed for more assistance.
“We need more help from both government and good-spirited individuals to handle the challenge,’’ he stressed.
In his remarks, NEMA’s Director-General, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, said the 2022 floods hit 450 of the 774 local government areas of the country and the FCT.
“NEMA is inundated with reports of flood in more than 450 council areas in 36 states and the FCT and it is still counting, causing loss of lives, livelihoods, properties and infrastructures,’’ he noted.
Ahmed said the development should spur the country to concrete and deliberate action to check future disasters.
He added that there was a need for the people to take full advantage of early warning alerts from hydro-meteorological services agencies to reduce the impact, especially the loss of lives.
He said the Federal Government could not compensate for the traumatic experiences of the victims but must help to alleviate their sufferings with relief materials.
This is the reason, he said, Federal Government approved the delivery of 105 tonnes of maize and 88.7 tonnes of sorghum to be distributed to the victims.
“It also approved the delivery of 98.7 tonnes of garri and 1,000 bags of 10 kg rice, among others,’’ he said.
Ahmed was represented at the presentation of the relief materials by Mr Thickman Tanimu, Coordinator, NEMA South-East Zonal Office, Enugu
Also making a submission, Chief Paul Odenigbo, Executive Secretary Anambra Emergency Management Agency listed seven areas already hit by floods in the state.
They are Ogbaru, Anambra West, Anambra East, Ayamelum, Ihiala, Awka North and Ekwusigo Local Government Areas.
“As of today, 28 holding centres have been activated to receive displaced victims. Already, there are 28,280 persons in those centres.
(NAN)