Anambra State chapter of the Nigerian Red Cross Society has distributed cash and other relief materials to selected people from three local government areas of the state, who were affected by the 2023 flood disaster.
The cash disbursement of N62,000 was contained in a customised ATM cards distributed to over 1,500 households in the three local government areas including Ogbaru, Anambra East and Anambra West.
Some of the communities from the benefitting local councils include, Ossamala, Obeagwe and Akili Ogidi in Ogbaru; Enugu Otu, Eziagulu Otu and Mkpunando in Anambra East; and Umueze Anam, Iyiora Anam and Mmiata Anam in Anambra West.
Speaking, while distributing the ATM cards and other materials, at Umueze Anam community in Anambra East Local Government Area, on Tuesday, the Anambra State Chairman of Nigerian Red Cross, Prof. Charity Emelie, said the money and the relief materials would bring financial relief to the flood victims and help them mitigate the effect.
Emelie said, “This exercise is non-political and non-partisan. It is an intervention specifically for people affected by the 2023 flood disaster. Each of the customised ATM cards been received by each captured household has been credited with N62,000.
“The N2,000 on it is to take care of their transportation fare, which they used in coming to collect the materials here.
“Over 1,500 captured households would receive the ATM cards and other relief materials, including jerry cans and water purifying tablets to help them purify their water, which was contaminated by the flood and to also bring financial relief to the flood victims.”
Earlier, the state Secretary of Red Cross, Kingsley Okoye, noted that the Society had renovated some houses and repaired boreholes that were damaged by the flood in each of the communities, assuring that the items would be evenly distributed to the beneficiaries.
Okoye said that the intervention, supported by United States Agency for International Aid, is expected to drive a sustainable socio-economic resilience of the beneficiaries.
He added that the exercise was based on the assessments conducted by USAID and the Red Cross during the flooding period.
The state Chairman of the society also embarked on a facility tour for an on-the-spot assessment and inventory of structures and items in various offices as well as Children’s Homes being managed by the Society.
She assured that the society would be repositioned to make it more responsive to its mandate, urging members to show more commitment and dedication to their duties for effective service delivery.
She was accompanied on the visit by the state Vice Chairman, Prince Chika Ezedigbo, and other members of the society.
