FURY AS FG EXCLUDES ANAMBRA FROM 1.6BN FLOOD INTERVENTION

anambra mapStakeholders in Anambra State have appealed to the Federal government to include the state among the flood affected states that will benefit the one point six billion naira approved by the acting President. In an interview with Radio in Awka, the people described as unfair the exclusion of the state from the approved fund.

On Wednesday 12 July, the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, during Federal Executive Council Meeting ordered the immediate release of one point six billion naira for disbursement to victims of flood in sixteen states of the federation.

According to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adeshina, the states that would benefit from the intervention fund are Ekiti, Osun, Akwa-Ibom, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Ebonyi, Abia, Oyo, Lagos, Plateau, Sokoto, Edo and Bayelsa.

Some residents of Anambra State, including Prince Chris Azor, who commended the step by the Federal Government, however expressed regret that the state was excluded from benefitting from the flood intervention fund despite the fact that Anambra was among the first states hit by flood in the country this year.

One of the flood victims from Anambra West Local Government Area, Mr.Hyacinth Okoye, said farmlands and crops worth millions of naira had been washed away by the flood and wondered why Anambra did not make the list. A community leader, Mr. Tony Nwabunwanne, expressed regret that several household effects, buildings and their perimeter fence had been pulled down in Ogbaru, Nzam, Anam, Onitsha communities, as well as communities located in Anambra East and West, Awka North, Ayamelum Local government Areas among others and expressed dismay that they were not included on the sixteen benefiting states.

A human Right Activist, comrade Obi Ochije, from Awka called on representatives of Anambra State at the federal level to speak out against what he called unfair treatment to flood victims in the area.  Another respondent, comrade Elvis Okolie, advises the Federal government not to give the people any impression to feel that they are being marginalised when there are evidences on ground that Anambra State is one of the states currently experiencing flooding.

A Director in the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Mr.Chukwudi Onyejekwe, described Anambra as one of the greatest casualties in terms of flood incidents as over fifty communities have so far been battling with the menace this year.  Mr.Onyejekwe therefore appealed to the Federal Government to consider the state, which he said may have been omitted in error.

 

UCHE NDEKE

 

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