Flood: Yobe Govt. distributes relief materials to victims

BABATUNDE SCOTT

The Yobe government, on Monday, distributed building materials, clothes, blankets and household items worth N120 million to 595 flood victims in Damaturu.

Alhaji Musa Jidawa, Permanent Secretary in the state’s Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), while distributing the materials, said the gesture was to mitigate victims’ losses.

According to Jidawa, a committee made of representatives of SEMA, Damaturu Local Government Council and the Damaturu Emirate Council carried out the screening to determine the actual victims.

“The committee identified that 445 people lost one or two rooms in their houses, 140 others lost two to three rooms while 10 people lost five rooms and above to the July 24th, floods,” he said.

Jidawa appealed to the committee to ensure judicious distribution of the materials, urging beneficiaries to make good use of the items.

He said that government procured 1,975 bundles of zinc, 1,975 bags of cement, 12,700 pieces of roofing wood, 5,390 ceiling sheets, 601 bags of nails and 3,775 gallons of paints.

The permanent secretary named other items procured as 1,190 pieces of blankets, 1,190 mats, 1,190 buckets, 1,190 wrappers for women, 1,190 pieces of brocade for men and 1,190 pieces of tarpaulins.

The Emir of Damaturu, Alhaji Shehu Hashimi El-Kanemi, lauded the state government for the gesture.

The emir, who was represented by the Waziri of Damaturu, Alhaji Maisanda Lawan, said the gesture had brought succour to the victims.

The Chairman of the Damaturu Local Government Council, Alhaji Bulama Modu, charged the beneficiaries not to sell the materials but to use them to rebuild their homes.

He also cautioned residents against building structures on waterways to prevent future occurrence of the flooding.