The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has started distribution of relief materials to 22,658 households affected by the 2022 flood disaster in Kano State.

The director-general NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed-Habib, disclosed this while flagging off distribution of the relief materials to beneficiaries in Kano.

He said the gesture was under Special National Economic Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI) for households affected by the  2022 flood and vulnerable in the state.

Mr Ahmed-Habib said the aim was to bring succour to the victims.

The food items distributed included rice, beans, sorghum, vegetable oil, salt, tomato paste and seasoning cubes.

He listed the non food-items to include mosquito nets, nylon mats, blankets, mattresses, plastic buckets, sets of cooking pots, toiletries and cooking stove.

Other livelihood equipment included sewing machines,  agricultural inputs such as grinding machines, maize seeds, rice seeds, groundnut seeds, water pumping machines,  liquid fertilisers, growth enhancers, pesticides, herbicide and knapsack sprayers.

Mr Ahmed-Habib advised the beneficiaries to make proper use of the items to improve their socio-economic conditions and avoid selling the items.

“The crop seedlings and equipment are given to take farmers back to the land, stimulate crop production and safeguard our national food security in the middle economic downturn.

The director general  commended President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima for the support given toward the implementation of the intervention.

“A total of 660,884 households were verified and targeted to benefit from this Federal Government intervention across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territorial Abuja,” Mr Ahmed-Habib said.

On his part,  Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf of Kano state commended the federal government and NEMA for the timely intervention.

Mr Kabir-Yusuf, represented by his Deputy, Aminu Abdulsalam-Gwarzo, said 22 local government areas across the  three Senatorial zones in the state would benefit from the relief materials.

“979 households each from 20 local government area will benefit, while Kano Municipal and Tarauni local government were allocated 1,520 households, respectively.”

Mr Kabir-Yusuf urged the beneficiaries to judiciously use the items.

“I wish to reiterate the commitment of my administration toward supporting all programmes that will be directed toward alleviating the socio-economic hardship on our citizens and residents,” he said.

Ibrahim Muhammad, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, commended the agency for the kind gesture.

“I will start a business with my grinding machine to assist my family,” he said.

 (NAN)