National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Thursday, presented food items to flood victims in Bayelsa.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, during the peak of flooding in the state in October, directed the interventionist agencies to help all the states ravaged by flood with grains and other items.
Presenting the relief items to the state government in Yenagoa, Director-General of NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, noted that several states, including Bayelsa, had suffered flood disaster in the last couple of months, which needed government’s intervention.
Ahmed, represented by NEMA’s Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Edward Adedokun, said that the flooding had resulted in loss of lives, human displacement, loss of means of livelihoods and socio-economic dislocation.
He said the Federal Government had approved the release of 12,000 metric tons of assorted grains from National Strategic Reserve Stock for distribution to all states of the federation, including Bayelsa, and the FCT.
According to him, the items are expected to give succour to the most vulnerable group of persons, who were displaced by flood.
The items, he said, included: 1105 metric tons of maize (2,100 bags of 50kg), 88.7 metric tons of sorghum (1,774 bags of 50kg) and 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 Bayelsa SEMA and the NEMA zonal office.
“The additional approved relief materials in form of food and non-food items to further support those affected by the flood disaster in Bayelsa 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 and 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) and 1,000 pieces of men’s wear,” he said.
Receiving the items on behalf of the state government, Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr David Alagoa, appreciated the federal government for identifying with the state during the disaster.