NDDC Gives Relief Materials to Abia Flood Victims, 2 Years After Disaster

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Succour has at last come to the victims of the 2022 flood disasters in Abia State as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has come to their aid with relief materials.

The relief materials both edible and non-edible were distributed across the nine Local Governments affected by the disaster, namely Bende, Ikwuano, Isuikwuato, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Umuahia North, Umunneochi, Ukwa East and Ukwa West.

Speaking at the state office of the NDDC at Okikpe, Ukwa West LG where the event was held, the Commissioner representing Abia in the NDDC Board, Chief Dimgba Eruba, said the relief materials were provided with the approval of the federal government.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu for “graciously approving” the materials for the flood victims, stressing that they were specifically “meant for people of the communities that were grossly affected by the 2022 flooding”.

The commissioner noted that the victims were currently facing economic hardships hence “the NDDC gesture, with the Federal Government’s approval, has helped to give a sense of belonging to the victims and communities”.

He said that the succour that came for the flood victims was made possible because the NDDC now have a competent board Chairman and management ably led by Mr. Chiedu Ebie and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, respectively”

Eruba said that the present board of the NDDC was committed to positively change the perception of the people of the Niger Delta region with regards to the projects and programmes of the commission.

Alluding to the delay in providing reliefs to the flood victims, Eruba said that the present board “was not in place in 2022 but was able to plead with the president, who graciously released the relief materials for the flood victims in Abia.”

He said that he was hopeful that Mr. President “in his usual manner” would also give approval for the Commision to provide relief to the 2023 flood victims in the state.

The commissioner pointed that the distribution of the relief materials was “not a party affair” as they were solely meant for the alleviation of the pains and hardships suffered by all the flood victims, irrespective of the party they belong.

“The materials should be distributed to the targeted flood victims across party lines,” he said.

In his remarks, the State Director of NDDC, Mr Azubuike Nwubani, noted that the relief materials would achieve the purpose of giving succour to the victims of the flood disaster.

The relief distribution exercise was witnessed by stakeholders from the oil bearing communities, including traditional rulers, political and communuty leaders.

In their separate remarks the leaders expressed gratitude to the current NDDC Board and management for being responsive to yearnings of the people and embarking on programmes and projects that address their needs.

The Vice Chairman of the Ukwa West Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Onyemuwa Nwagbara,specially thanked Eruba for attracting NDDC to fix the Obehie-Okikpe-Akwete Road which had been deplorable condition before the present board came on board.

The lawmaker representing Ukwa West in the State House of Assembly, Chief Goddy Adiele, lamented that the area had not recorded any meaningful project by the commission in the last five years.

But he stated that the situation has started changing and lauded Eruba for providing effective and uncommon representation to his people and state by attracting developmental projects to Ukwa West.