Bello warns against diversion of relief materials for flood victims

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has warned government officials against the diversion of relief materials meant for the 15,874 2017 flood victims in the state.

Bello gave the warning on Thursday at the inauguration of distribution of relief materials to the victims at Koton Karfe, Kogi Local Government Area of the state.

The governor, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on emergency management, Mr Yakubu Ocholi, appealed to officials in charge of the distribution of the items to ensure equity and fairness.

He called on them to distribute the materials directly to the victims who he said were scattered in 13 local government areas of the state.

Bello listed the local government areas to be covered as Idah, Ibaji, Ofu, Dekina, Ankpa, Olamaboro, Kabba, Ajaokuta , Bassa , Lokoja and Kogi among others.

Our correspondent reports that the relief materials were provided by the Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The items include: rice, beans, clothes, roofing sheets, detergents, soaps, blankets, mosquito nets, fishing nets, sewing machines, water pumping machines.

Others are; mattresses, cartons of milk, bags of salt vegetable oil, bags of cement, and bags of maize among others.

Mustapha Maihaja, Director-General of NEMA, represented by Bitrus Samuel, Head, Abuja Operation of NEMA said the agency would monitor the exercise to ensure direct distribution to the victims.

The director-general also called on the officials of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and council officials in charge of the distribution to ensure justice and fairness.

The director-general said that the state was naturally prone to flood disaster, adding that the agency would be sharing safety information with Kogi on a regular basis.

He advised those living on flood prone areas in the state to prepare to locate to higher grounds, because of the higher rainfall likely to be experienced this year in the country.

The Executive Secretary of SEMA, Mr Ayegba Hassan, promised that the materials would be distributed to victims, to serve the purpose intended.

Our correspondent reports that Kogi Local Government Area, alone, has 2,209 victims slated to benefit from the gesture.