The Federal Government approved the assistance after Hon. Ogene submitted a distress report highlighting the impact of flooding on the affected communities and appealed for urgent support.
By Mmesoma Onwuka
365Daily – Residents of flood affected communities in Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra State, have received relief supplies from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) following an intervention facilitated by their representative in the House of Representatives, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene.
The Federal Government approved the assistance after Hon. Ogene submitted a distress report highlighting the impact of flooding on the affected communities and appealed for urgent support.
The relief package comprised 400 bags of 25kg rice, 400 bags of 25kg beans, 200 cartons of spaghetti, 50 cartons of vegetable oil and 50 cartons of Maggi cubes.
The benefiting communities across Ogbaru Local Government Area include Ossomala, Obeagwe, Akili Ogidi, Ogwuikpele, Ogwuanocha and Umunankwo.
The distribution exercise was officially flagged off on Saturday at Iyiowa Odekpe by the Head of Operations, NEMA Enugu Zonal Office, Mrs. Priscilla Madukwe. She was joined by a representative of the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Coordinator of the State and Ogbaru LGA Emergency Management Committee, Hon. Nnamdi Esimai.
Speaking at the event, Madukwe explained that the intervention was made possible through Hon. Ogene’s appeal to the Federal Government. She disclosed that a NEMA assessment team under her leadership had previously visited the affected communities to evaluate the extent of the flood damage.
She also acknowledged Hon. Ogene’s role in facilitating the movement of the relief supplies from Enugu to Ogbaru, urging residents to appreciate his efforts and continue supporting his representation.
Among those who received the relief items were a nursing mother, Mrs. Nwakonobi Favour and a physically challenged beneficiary, Mr. Oliver Ozoma.
Favour recounted how the flooding destroyed her household and submerged her belongings, while Mr. Ozoma disclosed that his farm produce, including yam, cassava and potatoes, was lost to the disaster.
Other beneficiaries, including Mr. Oliver Inuchukwu and Uchechukwu Igwe from Ogwuikpele community, expressed appreciation to Hon. Ogene for facilitating the intervention.
Mr. Inuchukwu noted that this was the second time Hon. Ogene had brought NEMA assistance to the constituency since becoming a member of the National Assembly. He prayed for God’s blessings upon the lawmaker and expressed hope that he would secure another term in the House of Representatives in 2027.
Addressing the gathering, Hon. Ogene instructed community leaders to take responsibility for distributing the relief materials fairly among residents, stressing that the intervention was intended for all affected persons regardless of political affiliation.
He emphasised that the assistance was driven by humanitarian concerns and urged the community leaders to follow an agreed distribution arrangement to ensure that no deserving beneficiary was excluded.