Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 1, Prof. Viola Onwuliri
By Amby Uneze and Hammed Shittu
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 1, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, has said the recent devastation caused by floods across the country would not affect food production in Nigeria.
Similarly, the former governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, at the weekend, called for a disaster management template that would ensure that relief materials meant for disaster victims get to them at the right time.
But, Onwuliri, who disclosed this when she visited the camp site where some Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) were kept in Abatcheke in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, urged the victims not to lose hope as the Federal Government would not let them suffer untold hardship.
She stressed that the Federal Government was strongly addressing the situation, “even though the devastation was capable of affecting the President’s Transformation Agenda especially in the areas of agriculture, housing, health and infrastructural development.”
Speaking also, Saraki, who fielded questions to journalists in Ilorin, expressed concern that the current level of intervention to victims of the recent flood disaster across the country might not be sufficient given the magnitude of the incident.
He said: “As at the time the disaster happened, the victims had nothing again and they could not go back to their houses or farms so at that point what we need is to ensure that whatever they need for comfort gets to them on time, quickly without being bogged down by administrative procedures.”
Also, the Cathedral Multipurpose Cooperative Society (CMCS), Asaba, Delta State has donated relief materials to flood victims at the St. Patrick College Camp, Asaba.
Spokesperson for the society, Mr. Mok Ifeanyi, reassured the victims of the preparedness to assist them and to also commence the evacuation of others who are still trapped in the affected areas.
“We share greatly in your pains, be assured that we will do everything within our power to assist you in this trying times. The society is also committed to helping you. The Federal and state governments are on top of the situation,” the lawmaker assured.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Change Management Team (CMT) paid a visit to the St. Patrick’s College camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) during which relief materials were presented to the IDPs by the Chief Change Agent (CCA), Mr. Gibson E. Pinnick, on behalf of the Change Management Team.
Receiving the items, Director, State Emergency Management Authority (SEMA), Mr. Anthony Uwanti, who is the director of the camp, thanked the team for the donations and promised that the materials would be effectively distributed to those in need of them.