….Says NOA currently partnering with the Super Bike Clubs Association to ensure food security in the aftermath of the floods
By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The National Orientation Agency, (NOA) has charged citizens, individual and corporate entities to summon and activate, that humanity and brotherly compassion that Nigerians are known for, to mobilize and send aids to flood ravaged individuals and communities, both in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and elsewhere.
The Director General of the Agency, Dr Garba Abari who made the call on Thursday at a press briefing on the state of flooding in Nigeria, appealed for humanitarian assistance for flood victims.
Abari who was visibly worried about the level of damage caused by the recent flooding in parts of the country, stressed that the situation calls for urgent intervention by all and sundry.
He therefore encouraged Faith based organizations and non-governmental organizations to organize and mobilize their members to provide relief to affected communities. The DG also enjoined the general public to provide aids such as foodstuff, drinking water, beddings, blankets, wrappers, camping gas, cooking utensils, detergents, sanitary packs, toiletries, mosquito nets and medications to the victims of flood. Adding that even within affected communities, those who are least affected should offer support to those who are more affected by offering food, clothes, shelter, help with evacuation and other forms of assistance.
He noted that these aids, be they financial, material or physical, will go a long way to ameliorate the sufferings of our compatriots.
Abari also tasked local government and community leaders to ensure that those whose sources of livelihood were affected are given pyscho-social support, including counselling and social safety assistance.
Also, the DG hinted that his agency is currently partnering with the Super Bike Clubs Association of Nigeria on a campaign to ensure food security, national cohesion and prevention of malaria in the aftermath of the floods.
According to him, the campaign is a five-day event to promote eradication of malaria and water-borne diseases as well as food security in six focus states of Nasarawa Plateau, Gombe, Kano, Katsina and Kaduna.
Abari acknowledge and commended the generous effort of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the North East Development Commission in distributing relief materials to some of the affected communities. He also hailed the effort of some State Governments in this regard, including those of Bayelsa, Rivers, Kogi, Lagos, Anambra and Taraba.
He appealed to the media as the fourth estate of the realm to intensify their performance of agenda setting function by keeping the plights of our affected compatriots in the front burners of national discourse with a view to bringing deserving attention to their ordeal and attracting the help they so urgently need from the well-meaning public.
The NOA boss reiterated that the Community Orientation and Mobilization Officers of the Agency have been directed to continue to sensitize communities on the need to stay put in their temporary locations until advised otherwise. They are also to take health and hygiene education to the communities, he added.
Sundiata Post recalls that mid-September this year, the NOA had cause to direct its grassroots mobilization officers to begin sensitization of communities in the flood frontline states to immediately relocate as the operators of Lagdo Dam in Cameroon had commenced the discharge of excess water from its reservoir with a likely flooding of 14 states in Nigeria. It also directed NOA State Directors to create awareness on the need for State Governments to identify safe high grounds for evacuation of communities at risk, preposition adequate stockpiles of food and non-food items, portable water and hygiene and provide safety and security to enable them have fair level of comfort during periods of possible displacement.
