The Federal Government on Tuesday commenced direct distribution of relief materials to persons affected by gully erosion and windstorms in Ohafia and Umuahia South LGAs of Abia.

The exercise was conducted in Umuahia through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with the Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

Both food and non-food items were provided to victims.

The materials include bags of beans, cartons of seasoning cubes, tomato paste, vegetable oil, iodised salt and detergents, mosquito nets, foam mattresses and blankets.

The Acting Head of Operations, NEMA Imo/Abia, Innocent Nweze, said the relief was a presidential approval through the agency to cushion victims’ losses.

He noted that the materials could not fully replace what were lost by the victims, but would reduce the impact of the disaster on the affected families.

He said the Director General, NEMA, Zubaida Umar, sent her sympathies to the victims and reassured them of continued federal government’s support.

The NEMA official also urged communities to avoid human activities that increased vulnerability to disasters.

The Executive Secretary of SEMA, Dr Sunday Jackson, said the distribution followed a joint assessment by SEMA and NEMA Owerri Operations Office.

He said the assessment report was forwarded to NEMA headquarters, Abuja, which promptly approved relief for the affected communities.

Mr Jackson commended Governor Alex Otti and his Deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, for their support and swift response to the disaster.

He assured that SEMA would ensure the items got to the right beneficiaries at their doorposts without diversion.

In a vote of thanks, Ndubuisi Umeado from Ohafia appreciated the federal and state governments for the gesture.

He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in stopping gully erosion ravaging many communities across the state.

He called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders and relevant agencies to address the erosion menace permanently.

(NAN)