Flood victims in three local government areas of Anambra State have received intervention to cushion the effects of the 2022 disaster on them.
The three local government areas are Anambra West, Ogbaru and Awka North local government areas which are adjudged to be the worst hit during the flood incident that affected several state across Nigeria.
During the distribution of the intervention materials at Ebenebe in Awka North local government area, the Anambra State government commended the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative, WRAPA, for supporting the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo in his efforts to better the lots of the people.
THE RAZOR reports that 300 secondary school students received school bags and exercise books while over one thousand women benefited fertilizers, pesticides, garri processing machines, and hygiene kits for women.
The 2022 flood disaster in Anambra State no doubt affected several houses, destroying property worth millions of naira, and leaving many people dead. Women and girls were said to be more vulnerable as they were exposed to communicable diseases, maternal mortality, and other unmet reproductive health needs, as well as lack of proper healthcare facilities in the affected areas.
This prompted a Non Governmental Organization, Women Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative, WRAPA, to provide a one-off non food relief items towards education, health, and economic empowerment for victims in three local government areas of the state.
Speaking on behalf of the organization, Mrs Yemisi Nathaniel said the gesture was to strengthen psychological support and awareness delivery for the affected women and school girls to cushion the effects of the flood which is manifesting in ill mental health, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder as government and private individuals cannot be able to provide all their needs alone.
Mrs Nathaniel therefore expressed the hope that the beneficiaries of the garri processing machines, fertilizers and other farm inputs will be able to enjoy enhanced opportunities for return and get over the challenges occasioned by the 2022 flood incident.
The Mapping Consultant for WRAPA, and Executive Director , Social and Integral Development Center, lady Ugochi Ehieahuruike while regretting that Anambra State was highly impacted by the 2022 flood disaster in Nigeria, said there is the need for government to build and equip permanent structures where flood displaced persons can take shelter before going back to start life all over again.
The commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Doctor Foster Ihejiofor while thanking the non-governmental organization for bringing their intervention to the state, said the gesture was in line with the blueprint of the present administration which is to build an inclusive prosperous, livable city for all its citizens.
Doctor ihejiofor who was represented by, Vivian Ekwensi, said the relief items will go a long way to compliment the improved inputs and seedlings like cocoanut and palm trees already distributed to farmers in the state.
The Executive director, Anambra state Emergency Management Agency , SEMA, Chief Paul Odenigbo who was represented by Mrs Chinyere Nwoye called on the beneficiaries from the three local government areas to ensure that they cooperate very well with the organization in other to reap the maximum gains of the items donated to them.
Chief Odenigbo used the medium to sensitize the people by encouraging them to be ready to move to higher grounds whenever they are told to do so as relevant agencies had predicted another flood incident in some states across the country including Anambra.
Some of the beneficiaries including Blessing Nnalue ,whose corporative group in Anambra West got forty five bags of 50 kg NPK fertilizers, the coordinator Small Scale Women Farmers in Nigeria, Anambra state chapter, Mrs Georgina Akunyiba who took delivery of the garri processing machines, promised to put the items into proper use even as they called on government to always make farm inputs available to them on time to enable them plant and harvest early before flood sets in.
The Women”s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative, WRAPA which is supported by MALALA Fund, is an Abuja based None Governmental Organization ,with main objective focusing on Social Justice for Women.
