The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday began the first phase of distribution of relief materials to 650 vulnerable persons and households affected by the 2022 floods in Bauchi state.

Suleiman Muhammad, assistant director, relief and rehabilitation at NEMA, said in Bauchi that the items would be distributed to households in the 20 local government areas of the state.

He said the distribution of the items represented the 2023 National Special Economic and Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI) programme for victims of the 2022 flood and the most vulnerable persons in the state.

“We are starting with the first phase of distribution to be followed by two other phases.

“The verification of registered flood victims for the SNELEI intervention was designed to provide support for victims of the 2022 disaster, targeting 13,226 households across Bauchi State.

“The relief materials include food items, livelihood support tools, and seedlings, among others, which will be distributed directly to victims to build their socio-economic resilience,’’ Mr Muhammad said.

They are rice, beans, soya beans, maize, groundnut oil, other cooking condiments, blankets, mattresses, mats, stoves, pots, soaps and mosquito nets.

Others are seedlings, pesticides, fertiliser, sewing machines, grinding machines, and sprayers, among others.

According to Mr Muhammad, the interventions will be implemented by NEMA in conjunction with the Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency.

Responding, Abdullahi Usman, chairman Bauchi state emergency management agency, commended the federal government for establishing a special programme to alleviate the sufferings of the vulnerable and of flood-affected persons.

Mr Usman said the distribution was timely and would alleviate the beneficiaries’ sufferings.

(NAN)