The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Tuesday commenced the donation of relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) nationwide with the presentation of household items to IDPs in Lagos. The exercise, which took place at the Lagos State Emergency Resettlement and Relief Camp at Igando, in Alimosho Local Government Area, involved relief materials worth millions of naira. Twenty states of the federation are billed to benefit from the scheme.
Twenty States across the Nation’s Six Geopolitical Zones are set to benefit, beginning from Lagos State. Others are, Rivers, Niger, Benue, Kastina, Plateau, Kaduna, Edo, Yobe, and Kogi states respectively.
Also, other States ravaged by floods lined up to benefit include; Kano, Sokoto, Anambra, Taraba, Osun, Delta, Cross River, Ogun, Bayelsa and Ondo States.
While presenting the materials to the IDPs, in Lagos, the Director General of the Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, said the gesture was in line with NIMASA’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which is partly focused on touching the lives of people, especially the indigent and displaced persons, and changing their stories.
Dakuku, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties (External Relations and Technical Cooperation), Hajia Lami Tumaka, said NIMASA had decided to identify with victims of natural and other disasters living in the camp in Lagos to try to give them a sense of belonging.
He told the displaced persons, “We have come here to identify with you and to share in your trying moments. Let me assure you that it will not be for long, as the government is aware of the challenges you are going through and is doing everything possible to get you properly resettled in order to lead normal lives again.
“As a socially responsible corporate entity, we are concerned with your wellbeing and we remain committed to partnering with the Lagos State Government to ameliorate your challenges.”
The DG called on other well-meaning organisations and individuals to come forward with relief measures to support the victims of natural and other disasters. He urged the Lagos State Government to remain resolute in its enforcement of the demolition of weak buildings to avert further incidences of building collapse in the state.
Earlier in his welcome address, the General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, commended NIMASA for consistently being a worthy partner in the effort to support IDPs in the state. Tiamiyu pledged the readiness of the Lagos State Government to continue to partner with the Agency in the attempt to assist and resettle all victims of disaster in the state.
According to him, “NIMASA has remained a worthy partner and we call on other agencies, corporate bodies, and individuals to emulate this gesture so that in no distant time the IDPs can be resettled in their homes and continue with their normal lives and activities.
“I recall that last year, NIMASA also brought a lot of relief materials to victims of flood disaster. So on behalf of the government of Lagos State and, indeed, the displaced Lagosians, I say, thank you to Dr. Dakuku Peterside and the Management of NIMASA.”
The materials donated by NIMASA included food items, clothing materials, beddings, toiletries, wheel chairs, and baby food, among other household items.
It would be recalled that NIMASA had in 2018 donated relief materials to victims of floods and insurgency in 11 states of the federation. The Agency is currently donating relief materials to victims of natural and other disasters in 20 states, covering the six geo-political zones in the country.
Photo Caption: L-R: General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu; Director, Special Duties, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Hajia Lami Tumaka, and the Head, Financial Services Department, NIMASA, Mrs. Olamide Odusanya at the flag off ceremony of the distribution of relief materials to flood victims by NIMASA at the Igando Resettlement Camp in Lagos.
