Following the resolve that Rivers State and Niger Delta will encounter a new lease of life, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has commenced the distribution of palliatives to flood victims spread across communities in eight local government areas of Rivers State, inorder to cushion the effects of the flood on the victims.
While presenting the relief materials to the representatives of the flood victims in Port Harcourt, recently, the Rivers State representative on the NDDC Board, Chief Tony Okocha, said that the movement taken by the commission would help the victims to recover from their losses; pleading with the local government chairmen to ensure impartial and judicious distribution of the relief materials.
He disclosed that each of the 24 trucks carrying the palliatives, contained 47 different items, which are meant for flood victims in Tai, Asari/Toru, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni, Abua/Odual, Akuku-Toru and Andoni Local Government Areas; hinting that the distribution of the materials was one of the contributions of the NDDC as a responsive intervention agency.
“Today is one of those demonstrations of the President’s responsiveness to the problems of Nigerians.
“I stand on behalf of the Chairman of the board of the NDDC and the Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who is in-charge of the day-to-day running of the affairs of the Commission, to say to you that it is our resolve that Rivers State and Niger Delta will have a new lease of life.
“We are there to defend and protect all projects in the Renewed Hope Agenda, the mantra on which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ascended the leadership of this country. President Tinubu has very serious concern about the welfare of Nigerians”, he noted.
Moreso, Rivers State Director, Engr. Theophilus Allagoa, while speaking to the beneficiaries, observed that the delay in the delivery of relief materials to the 2023 flood victims was due to the change in the NDDC board and management.
He revealed that the commission decided to start the distribution of the materials to the worst hit LGAs in Rivers, stating that the Commission had different items in the list to distribute, three trucks each to the impacted communities. He also urged the communities to report to NDDC, if the materials did not get to them.
Speaking also, Chairman of Ahoada-West local government area of the state, Hon. Hope Ikiriko, has expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the NDDC for the gesture.
By Aligwe Stella, P/H