From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government has promised to assist residents whose property were burnt in recent fire disasters recorded in some parts of the state.
Deputy Governor Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi said that the state government was concerned about the major physical and economic losses suffered by the victims and was working towards giving them succour.
According to a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Odunayo Ogunmola, the deputy governor made the remarks when he received the Board of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) led by the Chairman, Captain Sunday Adebomi.
Adebomi, who was also accompanied by board members and the management of the agency, led by the General Manager, Mr Jide Borode, advocated for office space at the old Governor’s Office as an operational base.
Egbeyemi said the rebuilding of the SEMA warehouse in Ado-Ekiti that was burned down during the #EndSARS riots last October was also a priority of the state government.
The deputy governor said the Kayode Fayemi administration would not relent in giving support to SEMA to help it deliver on its work to assist victims of natural and man-made disasters.
The state recently witnessed spates of fire disasters that ravaged plantations in some local government areas, destroying economic crops and rendering many people homeless.
Egbeyemi advised Adebomi to forward a letter to the Special Projects Office through the Office of the Deputy Governor to facilitate the rehabilitation of the SEMA warehouse.
‘By God’s grace, those people (disaster victims) will get cash relief even though it may not be from us directly. Those whose houses were burnt, those whose properties were burnt, we are going to assist them,’ the deputy governor said.
‘We are also aware that SEMA doesn’t have a store again as the place has been burned down. I will help you remind the governor about the place for necessary support.
‘All you need to do is to write to me and the governor will write the Special Projects Office for the place to be rebuilt. We will be ever ready to support your agency to succeed.’
The deputy governor described Adebomi as a competent, reliable and dependable person for the office he was appointed to head noting that he had known the chairman for many years and could attest to his pedigree.
Earlier, Adebomi said the staff of the agency urgently needed office accommodation to facilitate service delivery and motivate the workers to give their best.
He said an office space that will accommodate staff has been identified at the Old Governor’s Office complex which also houses the Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, another agency under the deputy governor’s supervision.