Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced distribution of fertilizers to farmers affected by flood in Ogbaru Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State.
Director-General of NEMA Mr. Muhammed Muhammadu who disclosed this when he visited the Secretary to Anambra State Government (SSG), Prof Solo Chukwulobelu where he said he was in the state to flag-off the distribution of the fertilizer to farmers affected by 2018 flooding in Ogbaru.
He said that the fertilizers were approved by the Federal Government under the Emergency Agricultural Intervention programme for farmers affected by 2018 flooding.
Muhammadu noted that while the intervention was approved in 2019, the implementation commenced with verification of affected farmers which was closely followed by the distribution of farm input and seedlings.
The NEMA boss said that the fertiliser distribution was the last phase of federal government assistance to farmers to enable them to recover from the loss they suffered from the flood.
He appealed to the beneficiaries to make good use of the fertilisers, urging the state government to be proactive in mitigating measures for 2020 flooding as predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
“The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Local Emergency Management Agency and other response Agencies should carry out more public enlightenment campaigns targeting vulnerable flood-prone communities.’’
The SSG, Prof. Chukwulobelu in his remarks expressed gratitude to the federal government on the relief materials given to the state.
He promised that the fertiliser would be equitably distributed immediately to the beneficiaries so that they could utilise them.
The SSG noted that while flooding had become an annual tragedy, SEMA had already commenced sensitisation to flood-prone areas.
