By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
No fewer than 1, 767 households affected by fire disaster and communal crisis in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom on Thursday, received relief materials worth millions of Naira from the federal government.
Flagging off the distribution of the materials to the beneficiaries on behalf of the federal government, the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Mustapha Ahmed, said that government gave the items to the communities as apart of her efforts to come to the plight of citizens.
Ahmed, who was represented by the Zonal Coordinator, NEMA, South South, Mr Godwin Tepikor, said that 1,183 households in Ibaka community and 584 households in Ewang community all in Mbo LGA were beneficiaries of this federal government gesture.
He said that the relief materials were distributed to households who were affected by Ibaka fishing fire disaster, which occurred on May 26, 2021 and those affected by Ewang communal crisis on Feb. 24, 2021.
He appealed to communities to live in peace with one another to avoid future occurrence of such disaster, stressing that money spent on relief materials would have been used for development of the communities.
“Today, the Federal Government through NEMA is presenting relief items comprising building materials and food items to victims of 2021 fire disaster and communal crisis in Mbo communities in Akwa Ibom State.
“About 1,183 Households from Ibaka community and 584 households from Ewang are to benefit from the intervention and it is not meant to compensate for what you have lost but to identify with you during this moment.
“As we are presenting this intervention, NEMA is appealing to you to live in peace with your neighbouring communities to avoid future occurrence,” Ahmed said.
He advised communities to eschew acts capable of causing another disaster in their domain.
In his remarks, the Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, commended the federal government and NEMA for the donations and pledged that the beneficiaries would make judicious use of the items.
Ekpo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in his office, Mr Nkopuruk Ekaiko, appealed to communities in the state to avoid communal conflicts, adding that conflicts was not beneficial to anyone.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Chairman of Mbo LGA, Mr Asukwo Eyo, thanked the federal government and the agency for coming to the aid of his people in time of their need.
Eyo promised that the items distributed to the people would be properly utilised to rebuild their lives.
Items distributed include; bags of rice, beans, garri, vegetable oil, and cartons of tin tomatoes, bags of cement, pieces of ceiling boards, bundles of roofing sheets, bags of nails and packets of zinc nails among others.
