BY SUNNY A. DAVID
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Anambra State Branch, Engineer Kingsley Okoye has urged the State government to construct permanent holding centres for victims of flood disaster and any form of emergencies in the State.
Engineer Okoye who made the call while speaking with journalists in Awka noted that the Nigerian Red Cross Society has always been proactive in managing flood disasters across the federation and appreciated the State Government for making concerted efforts to ensure the safe relocation of Ndi Anambra living in Riverine areas in case of flooding in the State this year as reported by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Nimet).
He explained that the permanent holding centres can have features like different classes of rooms, good beds, hall, toilet facilities, and good architectural designs among others.
The Executive Secretary disclosed that the idea behind it is that it can serve multinational purposes and generate income for government when those affected by flood are not making use of it and it will also save government from spending huge sums of money every year on keeping flood victims at holding centres in public places like schools and churches.
Engineer Okoye revealed that they have sensitized Ndi Anambra living in Riverine areas like Ogbaru, Anambra East and West and Awka North on the need to start making arrangements to relocate to upper lands before flood occurs to avoid damage and casualty and stated that the society has implemented the 2022 Economic Community of West African States intervention in the State, by giving six hundred families each thirty thousand naira that will last for three months to cushion the effects of the 2022 flood menace on them.
According to him, the beneficiaries were selected from Awba-Ofemmili, Achala, Umunankwo and Ochuche in Awka North and Ogbaru local government areas, adding that they also gave them food items and many household needs from the ECOWAS.
