By Chinyere Nwoye
The Anambra State Emergency Mangement Agency (SEMA) has hailed International Breweries for donating relief materials to flood victims at the Ogbaru Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.
The donated relief materials include; Rice, Noodles, vegetable oil, Spaghetti and canned malt drink.
The Executive Secretary, SEMA, Chief Paul Odenigbo who was represented by the Agency’s Head of Administration Department, Mrs Ndidi Omega commended the International Breweries for their kind gesture, noting that the relief materials would go a long way in ameliorating the pains of the flood victims.
Chief Odenigbo emphasized that the Breweries did well by coming to the aid of the victims who had suffered great loss in their host community of the Ogbaru LGA.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo and his Wife, Mrs Nonye Soludo for their support toward the flood victims in providing both food and non food items; medications, water and power supply.
The Executive Secretary while urging the Community Chairman on Flood to ensure that the donated items were distributed evenly, prayed for God’s blessings on the International Breweries.
The Member, representing Ogbaru Constituency in Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr. Somtochukwu Udeze explained that Ogbaru LGA experiences flooding every year, but this 2022 flooding was an extra ordinary one.
“We thought that the year 2012 flooding was worst but this year is terrible as we cannot count our losses.
“Most of the private and government owned infrastructures have collapsed as a result of the flood. It will be a total rehabilitation in the Ogbaru LGA as the psychological after effects will be a terrible one and I do not even know how the Government will tackle this situation.”
Udeze, however, commended Anambra State for living up to expectations, noting that the State House of Assembly had moved a motion for SEMA and all MDAs on post Management of the situation.
He expressed gratitude to the International Breweries for living up to its social responsibility as not all establishments had responded.
“We cannot leave everything for the government alone as this calls for our collective support.”
The Plant Manager, International Breweries, Onitsha branch, Mr Fidelis Igwe noted that they understood what the Ogbaru community was going through at the moment.
“We decided to come and support them in our own little way and hope that these items will go a long way, while praying that the flood situation comes down so that people can go back to their normal lives.”
Mr Igwe explained that through the Flood Committee Chairman and SEMA, they would aid to ensure that the donated items get to the people that they were meant for in the different holding centres.
“Ogbaru is our host community and as such it is our social responsibility to help out in situations as this flooding period which is a natural disaster no one planned for,” he added.
The Flood Committee Chairman, Mr Ben Nwasike expressed gratitude and commendations to the International Breweries for coming to their aid.
While noting that flood was a natural disaster, Mr. Nwasike appealed for support from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and SEMA to assist them as their farmlands and properties had been destroyed by flood.
He stressed that they were still expecting more from Government, Organisations and good spirited individuals. “We are Oliver Twist and we want some more.
“Our people are in need of help now and we are pleading with the government to dredge the River Niger as it will help with the flooding,” he said.
One of the Flood Victims, Mrs Patience Obidikwu thanked the International Breweries for remembering them in this situation and prayed for God’s continuous blessings on them.
She also appealed to the government to help them as their kids need more food and medical attention now.
