NAN – The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday presented various relief items to the people of Akwuke in Enugu State, who suffered losses during a windstorm.
Presenting the items in Akwuke, Enugu South Local Government Area, the Zonal Coordinator of the agency for South East, Mr Major Eze, said that the items were not meant to replace the lost ones but to cushion the effect of the incident.
Eze said that the agency responded quickly to assess the extent of damage caused by the windstorm on March 27, saying it was the process of getting the relief materials that delayed action.
“The assessment revealed that several buildings, both residential and commercial, had their roofs blown off, pylons and trees were pulled down, leading to displacement of residents and dislocation of means of livelihood.
“Regrettably, the affected persons do not have the capacity to rebuild their houses or restart their businesses.
“The responsiveness of the Federal Government on the plight of disaster victims has been quite prompt and encouraging,’’ he said.
He advised the people of the area to plant trees to ring the community and act as wind breakers.
The coordinator also advised them to cut down huge trees near buildings to save lives and property, adding that they should only allow shrubs near their houses.
An official of the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Josephat Offor, called on the people to show decorum in distributing the items to the victims.
In his address of welcome, the President of Akwuke Town Union, Mr John Ewo, said that the windstorm caused untold hardship to the people of the area, who spent more than two months without electricity.
Ewo said that the gesture by NEMA was the first time the people got something from the Federal Government, saying that the area hosted no fewer than 11 federal establishments.
Some of the items presented were cement, roofing sheets, nails, ceiling boards, mattresses, mats, towels, detergents, soaps, plastic buckets, blankets and foodstuffs, among others.
