The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Kano State Government, has distributed relief materials to 357 victims of recent fire disasters across the state.
The beneficiaries included residents of Dunkura Kodi, Dinyar Katakau, Babuha, and Tum communities in Kibiya Local Government Area, as well as traders affected by a fire outbreak at Fatima Simra Multipurpose Market in Nassarawa Local Government Area.
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Speaking during the distribution exercise, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu-Kibiya, commended NEMA for its prompt intervention and continued partnership in disaster management.
He noted that the support would help ease the suffering of the victims and assist in restoring their livelihoods, assuring that the process would be carried out transparently to ensure that only genuine beneficiaries receive the materials.
Governor Yusuf reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness, response, and recovery systems across the state to mitigate future occurrences.
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In her remarks, NEMA Director-General, Hajiya Zubaida Umar, represented by the Head of NEMA Kano Operations Office, Dr. Nura Abdullahi, said the relief distribution was part of the agency’s mandate to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to disaster-affected communities nationwide.
“The relief items are not intended to replace what was lost but to ease the hardship and help victims recover from the challenges caused by the disaster,” Umar said.
According to her, out of the 357 beneficiaries, 200 are from Kibiya Local Government Area, while 157 are traders from the Fatima Simra Multipurpose Market.
She listed the items distributed to include 200 bags of 25kg rice, 200 bags of 25kg maize, 200 cartons of spaghetti, 20 cartons of vegetable oil, and 40 cartons of seasoning cubes.
The NEMA boss also urged residents to adopt fire safety practices and handle electrical appliances properly to prevent future fire outbreaks, noting that most fire incidents are avoidable.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi-Kubarachi, explained that both agencies conducted a joint assessment of the damages before seeking the governor’s approval for the intervention.
He advised the beneficiaries to use the relief materials judiciously to cushion the effects of the disaster.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, the Vice Chairman of Kibiya Local Government, Alhaji Nasiru Adamu-Abdul’Aziz, expressed appreciation to the Federal and State Governments for their timely intervention, noting that the assistance would go a long way in alleviating their hardship.