Kano (Nigeria): The Kano State Government, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Saturday distributed relief materials to 357 victims of fire disasters in various parts of the state.
The beneficiaries included residents of Dunkura Kodi, Dinyar Katakau, Babuha, and Tum communities in Kibiya Local Government Area.
Other beneficiaries include traders affected by the fire outbreak at the Fatima Simra Multipurpose Market in Nassarawa Local Government Area.
Distributing the items, Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu-Kibiya, commended NEMA for its timely intervention and sustained support and partnership in disaster management.
He said the gesture would go a long way toward alleviating the victims’ suffering and restoring their livelihoods.
Kabir-Yusuf assured that the distribution process would be carried out transparently to ensure that the items reach genuine beneficiaries.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness, response, and recovery mechanisms across the state.
In her remarks, the Director-General, NEMA, Hajiya Zubaida Umar, represented by the Head of NEMA Kano Operations Office, Dr Nura Abdullahi, said the support was part of NEMA’s mandate to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to disaster-affected persons nationwide.
“The relief items are not meant to replace what was lost but to ease the hardship and help victims recover from the challenges caused by the disaster.
“Out of the 357 beneficiaries, 200 are from Kibiya local government, while 157 are from Fatima Simra Multipurpose Market,” Umar said.
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 director-general urged residents to embrace fire safety practices and to properly handle electrical appliances to prevent future incidents, noting that most fire disasters are avoidable.
The Executive Secretary of SEMA, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi-Kubarachi, said the agencies conducted a joint assessment to determine the level of damage before seeking the governor’s approval for the intervention.
He urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items to cushion the effects of the disaster.
Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, the Vice Chairman of Kibiya Local Government, Alhaji Nasiru Adamu-Abdul’Aziz, thanked the Federal and State Governments for the intervention, adding that the items would cushion the effects of the disaster-induced hardship.
