Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has commenced distribution of relief materials to communities in Abia State affected by flood disaster in 2022.
The gesture according to NDDC, is to help mitigate the plights of the victims in the face of the economic hardship.
Flagging off the distribution at the NDDC state office at Okikpe, Ukwa West, the Abia Commissioner in the NDDC Board, Chief Dimgba Eruba, said the commission was deeply concerned about the ordeals of the affected communities.
Meanwhile, the communities cut across nine Local Government Areas of Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Bende, Ikwuano, Isuikwuato, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Umuahia North, and Umunneochi.
Chief Eruba thanked President Bola Tinubu for “graciously approving” the materials for the flood victims, adding that NDDC will continue to identify with the needs of the people.
According to him, the gesture will help to give a sense of belonging to the victims and communities
He commended the NDDC Chairman, Mr Chiedu Ebie, and Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, respectively, for facilitating the intervention.
Eruba noted that the present NDDC Board was committed to positively change the perception of Niger Delta region with regard to the projects and programmes of the commission.
“The board has come to execute people-oriented programmes and radically implement the mandate of NDDC.
“This board was not in place in 2022 but was able to plead with the President, who graciously released the relief materials for the flood victims in Abia.”
He expressed the hope that the President, “in his usual manner, will also graciously approve a similar gesture for the 2023 flood victims in the state” through the commission.
Meanwhile, he cautioned that the materials should not be diverted for other purposes, emphasising it is for flood victims.
“This is not a party affair. It is not for APC, PDP or LP members but all the victims of the flood.
“Therefore, the materials should be distributed to the targeted flood victims across party lines,” he said.
Abia State Director of NDDC, Mr Azubuike Nwubani, said that the relief materials were intended to being succour to the victims of the flood.
In a remark, member, representing Ukwa West in the State House of Assembly, Chief Goddy Adiele, said that the area had not recorded any meaningful project by the commission in the last four to five years.
Traditional rulers and stakeholders from Ukwa West as well as representatives of the benefitting communities and Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) in the state, attended the event.
They lauded the NDDC leadership for the intervention which they, said would seriously alleviate the sufferings of the affected communities.
Former Commissioner for Information, Chief Don Ubani; and the Vice Chairman of Ukwa West Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Onyemuwa Nwagbara, in their separate remarks, thanked NDDC and Chief Eruba for the intervention.
The stakeholders specifically thanked Eruba for attracting NDDC to fix the Obehie-Okikpe-Akwete Road which, they said, was in a deplorable and impassable condition before the emergence of the present board.
Speaking also, Abia South Coordinator of PLWDs, Mr ThanKGod Nwanosike, expressed profound gratitude to the commissioner for including vulnerable persons in the list of beneficiaries.
