From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government has promised not to relent in its efforts in giving assistance to disaster victims and vulnerable people for them to live their normal lives.
The Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, made the remarks on Thursday when he presided over the distribution of relief materials from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
According to a statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Deputy Governor, Odunayo Ogunmola, some of the relief materials handed out to the beneficiaries include tricycles, motorcycles, grinding machines, hairdryers, sewing machines, among others.
Egbeyemi said the state government will always collaborate with governmental agencies, corporate organisations and donor agencies to give succour to vulnerable people for them not to become burdens to the society.
While commending NIMASA for the gesture, Egbeyemi described the action as an example of Corporate Social Responsibility which should be emulated by corporate organisations and well meaning individuals.
Egbeyemi appreciated federal government, donors Agencies, corporate Organizations and individuals who had contributed towards the development of the state and assistance to victims of natural and man-made disasters.
He called for more relief materials in order to capture victims of the 2020 natural disasters who were yet to benefit from the government support programme.
Egbeyemi said: “These relief materials were donated to improve the livelihoods of Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) in the state and to help beneficiaries become self-sufficient.
“At this juncture, I must say that it has always been the state government’s interest to assist vulnerable people in the state to reclaim their normal lives and achieve self sufficiency without becoming a burden.
“This is evident in her efforts at various angles through programmes to give a better life to her citizenry. In the light of this, I would like implore all the beneficiaries to make good use of the items distributed.”
The Chairman of Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Captain Sunday Adebomi (retd), explained that the materials distributed were parts of the social responsibility on part of the Agency and Governor Kayode Fayemi’s passion to alleviate poverty and create wealth.
The SEMA boss pointed out that over four thousand people had enjoyed relief materials, out of over five thousand victims of different disasters recorded in the state in year 2020.
Captain Adebomi said that the victims of this year’s disasters would be captured as soon as the government procured more relief materials and urged them to be patient.
In an interview, the SEMA, General Manager, Mr. Jide Borode, urged beneficiaries of the government gesture to make the best use of the materials to boost their businesses and not to sell them off.
Mr Borode said that the administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi was passionate about creating enabling environment for vulnerables, businesses to thrive and live a life that would impact meaningfully on the society.
While appreciating Governor Fayemi for the kind gesture, some of the beneficiaries, Elder Adebayo Oni, Mr Jacob Omotoso and Mrs Oluwatoyin Arinola could not hide their joy prayed that Ekiti would continue to witness progress and meaningful development under the present administration.
The fifty five beneficiaries of the empowerment tools were selected from the sixteen Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Nineteen Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.