The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Friday commenced its special programme to cushion the effects of the 2022 flood disaster in Ondo State.

The programme tagged “Special National Economic Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELI)” is being held across Nigeria.

Materials distributed at the event are food items, water pumps, mattresses, and agricultural materials, among others.

NEMA’s director general, Mustapha Habib, said at the event in Akure that the programme was a special intervention to support the long-term recovery of the country.

Mr Habib, represented at the event by the programme supervisor in Ondo State, Olatunde Mohammed, said it was to achieve sustainable socioeconomic resilience of the targeted population.

“This special intervention is designed to be in the form of food and non-food items, rehabilitation inputs, livelihood support tools, crop seedlings, livestock, fisheries, and animal healthcare to be distributed to the targeted population to enable them to return to normalcy and achieve sustainable socioeconomic resilience,” he said.

He said the procured items were already in the state and would be distributed accordingly to the targeted population across the 18 local government areas.

The administrative secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Idowu Ojo, said the programme differed from the state palliative programme.

Mr Ojo, however, appreciated NEMA for supporting the states, urging people to protect government property and prevent indiscriminate dumping of refuse on waterways.

Olom Benson, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, appreciated the federal and state governments for coming to their rescue in times of need.

(NAN)