Tepikor said the Federal Government had long directed the issuance of relief materials to flood victims across the country ‘but they could not access Bayelsa readily because the state was cut off from the rest of the country.'”
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Victims of Bayelsa State flood have been given relief items by the Federal Government in a joint effort by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian Air Force.
The Nigerian Air Force 107 Air Maritime Group started the airlift of relief supplies from Benin, Edo State, to flood victims in Bayelsa on Thursday, October 27, 2022.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), items received were 1,400 bags of 10kg rice, 1,400 bags of 10kg beans, 1,400 bags of 10kg maize and 75 (20kg) bags of salt.
Non-food items received were 8,000 pieces of nylon mats, 1,000 pieces of mosquito nets, and 600 cartons of soap, among others.
Receiving the items on behalf of Gov. Duoye Diri of Bayelsa, Mr Angos Dide, Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, commended the Federal Government for the supplies.
He also commended the Nigerian Air Force for assistance rendered to victims and recalled similar assistance in 2018.
Dide said NEMA and SEMA would collaborate by moving to the most affected areas to distribute the items.
In his comments, the Coordinator, NEMA South-South Zone, Mr. Godwin Tepikor, said the items approved by the Federal Government would be judiciously distributed to victims.
Tepikor said the Federal Government had long directed the issuance of relief materials to flood victims across the country “but they could not access Bayelsa readily because the state was cut off from the rest of the country, making it difficult to move down with the materials.
“We had to rely on our partner, the Nigerian Air Force, for assistance to move the items down,’’ he explained.
Tepikor commended the Chief of Air Staff for approving the platform for the airlift of the food and non-food items to Bayelsa.
Gov. Douye had on Wednesday, while receiving Akwa Ibom State Governor, Gov. Udom Emmanuel, who donated N100 million to Bayelsa flood victims, lamented that the state was yet to receive relief materials for its flood victims, though it was among 21 states listed for immediate succour.