*Hints that 5 LGAs in state flood prone in 2024
By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has presented 1,312 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities to the Kaduna State Government for distribution to vulnerable persons in the state.
The Director-General of the agency, Zubaida Umar, stated this on Friday, during the presentation of food items to Gov. Uba Sani for onward distribution to vulnerable persons in the state.
Umar said that the gesture is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to cushion the effects of the high cost of food items in the country.
She said the gesture was in fulfillment of the promise made by President Bola Tinubu to reduce the impact of the current economic downturn being experienced in the country.
Umar said, ”In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, Mr President approved the release of 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted food commodities from the National Strategic Reserve.
“The assorted food commodities include maize, millet, sorghum and garri.
”After sharing the commodities and successfully transporting the quantity allocated to the state, today we are here to hand over the food items to the state government.
”They are to be distributed to the identified deserving beneficiaries in the communities, through the constituted committees in each local government area.
“It is worthy of note that based on the allocation table, Kaduna State has been allocated; 550 metric tonnes of maize (10,120 bags of 50kg), 650 metric tonnes of sorghum (11,778 bags of 50 kg) and 237 metric tonnes of millet (4,370 bags of 50kg).”
The director-general explained that based on the directive of the Federal Government, 20 per cent of the food items due for each LGA would be given to religious organisations and three per cent to be handed over to boarding schools in the area.
The NEMA boss used the opportunity to alert the state governor on the 2024 seasonal climate predictions and the annual flood outlook, urging the state to be prepared.
Umar said that the predictions indicated that in April, May and June, 25 states and 72 LGAs were flood high-risk areas, indicating heightened vulnerability to flooding.
She said that the vulnerability would persist into the subsequent months of July to September, with 33 states and 135 LGAs identified as high-risk areas, while the period between October and November had 19 states and 44 LGAs.
She said, “This year, the probable flood risk areas in Kaduna State are Kajuru, Kachia, Kubau, Igabi and Chikun local government areas.
”In view of the foregoing, I wish to request the state government to kindly take proactive and necessary measures in addressing these issues.’’
Sani directed the committee in charge of the distribution and security agencies to ensure that the grains reach the identified vulnerable persons.
He assured the broad-based committee would ensure that the grains were distributed to the vulnerable citizens in a fair and equitable manner.
He said, ” Our administration is committed to bringing succour to the most vulnerable, the committee on distribution of palliatives has been doing a commendable job.”
Earlier, in his opening remark, Usman Mazadu, Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), commended NEMA for the support to the vulnerable in the state.
He said the state had constituted committees of stakeholders in the 23 LGA’s saddled with the responsibility of distributing the items with utmost transparency.
Mazadu assured, ” We have provided and fortified our storage facilities for the safekeeping of the items and deployed maximum security to ensure integrity.”
