The Ekiti State Government, has warned the citizens, especially the 7,000 beneficiaries of the relief packages donated to victims of disasters not to sell or divert the materials given to them by the government.
The state government urged the beneficiaries to use the materials donated through collaboration between the federal and state governments judiciously to palliate their sufferings after falling victim of natural disasters.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the warning, on Thursday, while flagging off a federal government’s intervention programme tagged Special National Economic Livelihood Emergency Intervention Programme for victims of disasters in the state.
Mrs Afuye revealed that thousands of Ekiti residents have been enumerated by the National emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to benefit from the programme, out of which 7,000 were picked for the first tranch of materials supplied to Ekiti.
She appealed to people to stop blocking the waterways through unwholesome practices that had caused flooding and destruction of lives and property in Ekiti.
The Deputy Governor lamented that reported cases of dumping of refuse inside drainages, building of structures on waterways and keeping of petroleum products inside residential buildings, had been largely responsible for cases of flooding and fire outbreak in the state.
“Let me appeal to our people not to sell or divert these materials for other use. It is to give you relief after suffering some losses. This is not an avenue to make brisk money the way some people used to think”.
Harping on the need for citizens to be cautious of their actions, Mrs Afuye said: “I wish to appeal to our citizens to cooperate with government in the prevention of flooding or fire disasters in our state. I encourage you to avoid practices that can cause natural and man-induced disasters in your environment.
“People should desist from building houses on waterways or close streams and rivers. We should also avoid the terrible habit of dropping refuse inside drainages during rainfall.
“Moreover, you are advised not to keep petrol inside residential buildings. These are perhaps the most common causes of flooding and fire disasters”.
Mrs Afuye commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritising the welfare of all Ekiti people through execution of lofty policies that have positively affected the lives of civil servants, artisans, widows, pensioners, driver unions and other strata of the society.
Speaking at the occasion, the Director of National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA), Alhaji Mustapha Habib Ahmed, described the distribution of relief materials as part of the rescue mission of the federal government to improve the socio- economic condition of the victims.
Ahmed added that a total of 660,884 households were carefully captured through effective enumeration by NEMA”s staff to benefit from the palliatives for their quick return to normalcy.
“You may recall the sad incident of the 2022 flood disaster, which devastated some states of the federation. Immediately after the flood incident, damage and loss assessment were conducted and relief items approved by the federal government were delivered across the states to complement initial intervention by the state governments.
“A total of 660,884 households were verified and targeted at benefiting from this special intervention across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory.
“The agricultural inputs such as crop seedlings and equipment are to take farmers back to land , stimulate crop production and safeguard our national food security in the middle of economic downturn. It is also expected to stimulate value chair activities at the grassroots”.
The NEMA boss appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the necessary support to accomplish this important and timely intervention”.
The Permanent Secretary in charge of the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Jide Borode, said the materials will help in the recovery process of those who fell victim of flood in 2022 across the country.
Applauding Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his swift action for the victims, Borode revealed the Governor had earlier released a sum of N24 million for victims of rainstorm in Ipao and Ijesa Isu Ekiti.
Borode urged the residents to imbibe the culture of environmental preservation through regular desilting of drainages and tree planting to prevent Ekiti from being subsumed by flood.