NEMA DISTRIBUTES RELIEF ITEMS TO FLOOD VICTIMS IN ABIA. (PHOTO).

 NEMA Distributes Relief Items to Flood Victims in Abia

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), began distributing relief items to victims of the 2025 floods in Abia State on Thursday in Umuahia. The relief materials, including cartons of spaghetti and macaroni, were handed over to representatives of the affected communities.

Mr. Nnamdi Igwe, Head of NEMA’s Owerri Operations Office, represented by Search and Rescue Officer Mr. Sunday Iweala, described the distribution as part of NEMA’s response to flood disasters impacting various communities in the state. He noted that the intervention, approved by the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation, aims to alleviate the suffering of affected residents. “It is a little assistance from the Federal Government, and we believe it will reach the affected people through SEMA,” Igwe said. He also urged communities to adopt practices that could mitigate future flood risks.

Dr. Sunday Jackson, Executive Secretary of SEMA, revealed that approximately 45 communities across Abia’s 17 local government areas were affected by the floods. He acknowledged that while the relief items cannot fully compensate for the losses, they are intended to ease the impact on affected individuals and communities. Jackson expressed gratitude to Alhaji Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Presidential Committee, for including Abia among the benefiting states, and commended NEMA and Governor Alex Otti for their roles in facilitating the process and ensuring effective governance.

In response, Mr. Godwin Nwakanma, Village Head of Isiala Ovum Autonomous Community in Obingwa LGA, thanked the government for the support. He appealed for further intervention, highlighting the severe impact of the floods, which displaced community members and destroyed buildings, farmlands, and other property.

The distribution marks a step in ongoing efforts to support flood-affected communities in Abia as the state grapples with the aftermath of the disaster.