NEMA airlifts relief items to Bayelsa flood victims

NEMA, in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force started the airlift of relief supplies to flood victims in Bayelsa on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 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.

The operation started with the airlift of the items from Benin by the Nigerian Air Force 107 Air Maritime Group.

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.

Mr Godwin Tepikor, the Coordinator, NEMA South-South Zone said the items approved by the Federal Government would be judiciously distributed to victims.

He said the Federal Government had long directed the issuance of relief materials to flood victims across the country.

“We could not access Bayelsa readily because the state was cut off from the rest of the country and due to that it was difficult to move down with the materials provided by the Federal Government.

“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.

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Only on Wednesday, Gov. Diri said Bayelsa had not received relief materials for flood victims, though 21 states were listed for immediate succour.

He spoke when Gov. Udom Emmanuel visited to donate N100 million to Bayelsa flood victims.