From HASSAN JIRGI Damaturu
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has flagged-off the distribution of relief materials to victims of the devastating Maiduguri flooding in about 36 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps.
The flag-off ceremony took place yesterday at Bakassi Camp along Damboa Road in Maiduguri.
The relief materials included bags of 25kg of rice, cartons of pastas and N10,000 cash.
Speaking to newsman shortly after the distribution, Zulum decried that many people not affected by the flood were tripping to the IDP camps, thereby making it difficult for smooth operations.
According to him, “We observed that it is no more sustainable to continue receiving people in the camps because many people that were not affected are tripping to the camps”.
The Governor also announced plans to comprehensively assess the affected areas, which will inform future interventions.
Also speaking, the senator representing Borno Central, Barr. Kaka Shehu Lawan commended the governor for his leadership.
“Let me commend the governor for providing leadership since the flooding started; he was out with his entire team trying to carry out search and rescue and assisting his people.
“I also joined His Excellency in commending our donors and urging others to complement the government in assisting victims”, Senator Shehu said.
The director-general of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Zubaida Umar highlighted her agency’s interventions for victims of the flood disaster.
Since the flooding started, she noted that the agency had been providing shelters and mobile water purifiers to provide clean drinking water to those affected.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has acknowledged the receipt of a food donation from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, NEMA and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to support the victims of the recent flood disaster.
