By Salifu Faridat
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has initiated a significant relief effort aimed at aiding 22,658 households affected by the destructive 2022 flood disaster and supporting vulnerable individuals in Kano State.
The relief distribution was formally inaugurated by Mr. Mustapha Ahmed-Habib, the Director-General of NEMA, on Saturday.
Operated under the Special National Economic Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI), the distribution of essential provisions seeks to provide solace and assistance to those who have endured the aftermath of the flood.
Mr. Ahmed-Habib emphasized the primary objective of alleviating the challenges faced by these communities.
The distributed food items encompass a range of essentials, including rice, beans, sorghum, vegetable oil, salt, tomato paste, and seasoning cubes.
Non-food items were also included in the package, such as mosquito nets, nylon mats, blankets, mattresses, plastic buckets, cooking pots, toiletries, and cooking stoves.
Moreover, the relief package goes beyond immediate sustenance by providing tools to enhance livelihoods.
Beneficiaries have received sewing machines, agricultural inputs such as grinding machines, maize seeds, rice seeds, groundnut seeds, water pumping machines, liquid fertilizers, growth enhancers, pesticides, herbicides, and knapsack sprayers.
In his address, Ahmed-Habib stressed the responsible utilization of the distributed items to improve socio-economic conditions.
He urged recipients to resist the urge to sell the items for short-term gains.
He highlighted the crucial role of crop seedlings and equipment in revitalizing agriculture, boosting crop production, and ensuring food security, particularly during economic downturns.
The Director-General expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima for their supportive contributions to the intervention.
Ahmed-Habib disclosed that the initiative is designed to assist a total of 660,884 households across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf of Kano State praised both the Federal Government and NEMA for their timely and impactful intervention.
Represented by his Deputy, Mr. Aminu Abdulsalam-Gwarzo, the Governor acknowledged the relief operation’s significance, which would cover 22 Local Government Areas across the state’s three Senatorial zones.
Kabir-Yusuf expressed optimism that the beneficiaries would prudently utilize the distributed items for their intended purposes.
He affirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to supporting programs that alleviate socio-economic challenges faced by citizens and residents.