Victims of gully erosion and windstorms in Ohafia and Umuahia South Local Government Areas of Abia have begun receiving relief materials from the Federal Government to cushion the effects of the disasters.
The relief distribution, which commenced on Tuesday 15th September, 2026 in Umuahia, was carried out by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with the Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiaries received food and non-food items, including bags of beans, cartons of seasoning cubes, tomato paste, vegetable oil, iodised salt and detergents.
Other items distributed included mosquito nets, foam mattresses and blankets.
The Acting Head of Operations, NEMA Imo/Abia, Mr Innocent Nweze, said the intervention followed a presidential approval secured through the agency to alleviate the suffering of the victims.
Nweze acknowledged that the relief materials could not completely replace the property and valuables lost to the disasters, but said they would help reduce the burden on the affected families.
He said the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, sympathised with the victims and assured them of the continued support of the Federal Government.
The NEMA official also urged residents and communities to desist from activities that could increase their vulnerability to disasters.
The Secretary of SEMA, Dr Sunday Jackson, said the intervention followed a joint assessment conducted by SEMA and the NEMA Owerri Operations Office.
According to him, the assessment report was subsequently forwarded to NEMA headquarters in Abuja, leading to the approval of the relief materials for the affected communities.
Jackson commended the Abia State Governor, Mr Alex Otti, and his deputy, Mr Ikechukwu Emetu, for their support and prompt response to the disasters.
He assured the beneficiaries that SEMA would ensure that the relief items reached the intended recipients and were not diverted.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Ndubuisi Umeado of Ohafia appreciated the Federal and Abia State governments for the intervention.
Umeado, however, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in the gully erosion ravaging several communities across Abia.
He also called for stronger collaboration among relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the erosion menace.
