By Favour Goodness
The Nigerian Red Cross Society in collaboration with the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and Federal Ministry of Disaster & Humanitarian Affairs, has distributed relief materials worth N6.5 million to vulnerable households affected by the 2020 flood in Anambra state.
It was gathered that the distribution was held within the various flood-affected communities of Ossomala in Ogbaru local government and Abohfomili in Awka North Council area respectively.
Presenting the items, while flagging off the exercise for the people of Ossomala community at St. Patrick’s Nursery & Primary School, Ossomala, on Tuesday, the Director, Restoring Family Live (RFL)/ Support Services, Nigerian Red Cross, Abuja, Mr Ikechukwu Okoro, said the distribution of the relief materials, supported by the ECOWAS and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, was to cushion the effect of the flood disaster as well as alleviate the plight of the vulnerable in the state.
He observed that Red Cross Society, as a humanitarian organisation will continue to assist in tackling and responding to emergencies across the country.
He disclosed that a hundred beneficiaries from the affected areas in the state have benefitted from the gesture, noting that similar exercises are currently going on simultaneously in Benue, Nassarawa, Bauchi, Gombe Yobe and Delta states.
On his part, the State Executive Secretary of the Red Cross, Kingsley Okoye while itemizing the relief materials to include bags of garri, palm oil, vegetable oil, sleeping mats, bathroom slippers, blankets, tooth-paste, tissue paper, salt, buckets amongst others, said the criteria for distribution of the materials include childhood family, female-headed families, vulnerable mothers, chronic disease and disability, as well as lactating and pregnant mothers.
He pointing out that, out of the uncountable families affected by the 2020 flood disaster in Anambra state, the organization is selecting the 100 most devastated families for the gesture.
Mrs Angela Francis, Assistant Coordinator, Disaster Management/RFL, Red Cross Abuja, while advising the beneficiaries to judiciously utilise the items, noted that the selection was made by NEMA, SEMA and the affected communities leaders.
She explained that the organisation could not distribute the items last year, due to the lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Madam Oju Maurice Ojukwu, who spoke on behalf of other victims, disclosed that they lost all their property to the 2020 flood disaster, but appreciates the organisation for its commitment to alleviating their plight.
