FG distributes relief materials to flood ravaged communities in A-Ibom

AS part of its effort towards alleviating poverty and flood affected areas in the Niger Delta region the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has distributed relief materials to ten (10) communities in Akwa Ibom state.

The relief materials ranging from bags of rice, bean, Garri, cartons of Indomie noodles, cartons of  turkey cooking oil, gallons of palm oil, bags of salt, beverages, toiletries mattresses, blankets and pillows were recently distributed to the benefitting communities among which were Akprankpan Uda, Udinghi, Amprang, Adadia cutting across Mbo, Oron, Essien Udim and Abak local government areas.

Mr. Onwukwe Director of Special Duties Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs Abuja who flagged off the 2014 distribution exercise at the Uyo office said the essence of the relief measure which cuts across the Nine Niger-Delta states would help to ameliorate the sufferings of people affected by ravaging flooding and erosion in Akwa Ibom.

Onwukwe who declined giving the worth of the relief materials for the state however advised the community leaders receiving the relief materials on behalf of their respective communities to ensure that the items gets to the actual beneficiaries they were meant for stressing government expects them to share the items handed to them on trust wisely.

The Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of the Ministry, Josephine Anthony Abusolomo disclosed that 15 communities in the state benefitted from the distribution exercises in 2013, saying that the federal government effort would complement what Governor Akpabio’s administration is doing towards addressing the plight of indigenes and residents living around flood and erosion prone areas of the state.

She noted that the officers of the Ministry during advocacy discovered that most of the affected communities especially those living very close to the Atlantic Ocean are always endangered by Ocean surge and other ecological problems including water flooding.

She said, “Whenever we go for advocacy we look at the terrain, and then we ask questions, and from there they tell us which and that is how we discovered about the affected areas. And you know this administration is canvassing for poverty reduction and amelioration and that is why people who are destitute are also touched by this effort. We also penciled down churches and orphanages for this relief measure. “

Responding on behalf of other benefitting communities, the village head of Akprankpan Uda vilof Mbo local government area Chief Etim Okon Abang expressed gratitude to President Jonathan’s administration for heeding to their request for assistance, saying” We have never been heard before regarding our request to the federal government and so we are very, very happy and we appreciate the federal government for this gesture”