The Care Pack Family (TCPF), in partnership with the Business Visa and Training Company Limited, Saturday, donated over 1,000 relief packages in one truck to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, to assist flood disaster victims in the Nigeria.
The items in the care packs and bags include mosquito nets, Garri, noodles, sugar, torch lights and many other materials that could help victims of flood and other disaster in the country.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Operations, Supply Chain and Distribution of TCPF, Ms Omowunmi Imoukhuede, said it was a delight for the organisation to donate big shelter package and small bags of relief materials to help cushion the effect of the flood.
She said: “The ministry receiving us this Saturday afternoon shows it is highly dedicated in this time of flooding in the country. The government cannot do everything alone. That is why citizens have to help government by being empathic and sympathetic to the plight of flood victims.
“With relief materials, we are dedicated to helping the affected families to ensure they have a good livelihood. We can’t sit back without coming forward to help. The care packs are of different sizes. We partner with different stakeholders to ensure that the people get the right products. All the food items are made in Nigeria. We partner with indigenous companies for made in Nigeria products flood victims can relate with.”
Receiving the packages the Minister, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, said the donations were not only timely, but appropriate, thoughtful and passionate, especially as they were all made in Nigeria.
She said it was timely because Nigeria needs help at this time and thoughtful because the packages were done in such a way that it could be consumed immediately on the go or processed as desired.
She said the donation was a milestone in the history of disaster management and emergency response in the country.
She said: “The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) done well and I am happy that development partners are toeing that line. Look at the colour codes of your bags and packs, including a reflector bag, torchlights and many others.
“This is one situation where donations are made and immediately matched with actions. These donations would not enter our store, they would be immediately sent to the victims via NEMA.
“TCPF and Business Visa are partners indeed. You stepped in at the right moment with the right support and with made in Nigeria products. You have made us proud. I want to call on Nigerians, individually and collectively, to come to the aid of fellow Nigerians that are in need. To also emulate TCPF and Business Visa.”
She, however, said that NEMA would get a feedback from the beneficiaries of the relief packages, which may be in form of video, pictures or a written report to show that people benefited from the support.
The Minister said that although donations from development partners and individuals are still coming in, “we still need more, because, there is a lot more to do. The flood is still evolving, it has not ended yet and the impact will continue to unfold.”
“So, while we are seeing the end of the flood in sight, it is still evolving; we know that there will be complications and this is time for us to prepare to do our best. So we need support.
“We have lost some vehicles that were going to distribute some relief materials, some got stuck in Lokoja, while some could not get to their destinations in Bayelsa, because, the roads were blocked by the flood.
“We also want to thank the Nigerian Navy and Air Force for assisting us in delivering items to hard-to-reach areas and lifting materials from the vehicles that were stuck,” Farouq said.
Speaking earlier, the Director-General of NEMA, Mr Mustapha Ahmed, said the donations were indeed an expression of compassion to Nigerians coming from partners to render assistance to people impacted by disaster to enable them get back on their feets and return to normal lives.
“I want to assure you that the relief materials will be deployed immediately and directly to the end users to ensure that the objective of the intervention is met.
“NEMA will continue working together with all its esteemed partners in government, the private sector, NGOs, CBOs, international organisations and public spirited individuals in the onerous disaster management and the building of national resilience in Nigeria,” he said.
