The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has begun the distribution of relief materials to 15,668 victims of 2022 floods and vulnerable persons in Sokoto State.

The secretary to the Sokoto state government (SSG), Bello Sifawa, formally declared the distribution open on behalf of Gov. Ahmad Aliyu on Wednesday.

Mr Sifawa urged the beneficiaries to ensure judicious use of the items aimed at cushioning the hardship they faced as a result of the incident.

He gave assurance that the state government would continue to support the less privileged and vulnerable persons in the state, in line with the governor’s nine-point agenda.

The NEMA team lead and officer in charge of the special national economic and livelihood emergency intervention programme, Sani Hamza, said the effort was to assist vulnerable persons.

Mr Hamza also said that the gesture was to facilitate quick return to normalcy in the 15 local government areas affected by the flood.

He said that the intervention was also expected to drive the sustainable socio-economic resilience of the targeted most vulnerable persons.

According to him, a joint committee that comprised NEMA and state emergency management agency (SEMA) conducted survey and needs assessment of the affected places and persons.

Mr Hamza further said that search and rescue operations were successfully conducted in several locations, where trapped persons were rescued and given necessary care during the incident.

Earlier, the director, relief and rehabilitation of SEMA, Mustapha Umar, commended the federal government for the support.

Some of the beneficiaries, Zainab Nasir, Hadiza Isa, and Buhari Bala, expressed appreciation to the federal government for its kind gesture.

(NAN)