Gusau – The Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation has presented relief materials worth millions of Naira to last year’s flood victims in Zamfara.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that nine people died, while over 8,000 hectres of farmlands were destroyed, with millions of Naira worth of farm products and over 2,000 houses, affected by flood disasters across the eight local government areas of the state last year.
Presenting the items to the state government, the Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said the materials were provided by private companies, organisations and individuals in the country.
Dangote, who was represented by Alhaji Umar Gali, a member of the Committee, said items donated included drugs, food items, bedding materials, cosmetics, building and roofing materials.
He said that the gesture was aimed at cushioning the effects of the disaster suffered by the people.
He urged the victims to always respect building rules and regulations and to avoid building their houses on water ways, as well as ensure environmental sanitation to avoid floods.
He added that “even though flood disasters are natural, residents can take measures to reduce the impact.”
The state’s Deputy Governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, who received the items, commended the Federal Government for the gesture, saying it came at the right time.
He said “this donation came at the right time, considering that we are now approaching another rainy season, so it will assist the victims in repairing
their houses before the full commencement of the season.”
While calling on the victims to consider the disaster as an act of God, the deputy governor urged the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to ensure fairness and justice while distributing the items.
In his remarks, the SEMA Executive Secretary, Mr Sanusi Kwatarkwashi, said that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the state government as well as private organisations and individuals had also donated food items and building materials to the victims.
Malam Umar Danladi who spoke one behalf of the victims commended the Federal Government for the gesture, said it would improve their wellbeing. (NAN)