LAGOS/Nigeria: In a significant development, the Federal Government officially launched the distribution of the Special National Economic and Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI) aimed at aiding individuals affected by the devastating 2022 flood and those identified as the most vulnerable in Lagos State. The inaugural ceremony took place at the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture in Oko-Oba, Agege, a suburb of Lagos.
Mustapha Habib Ahmed, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), was among the prominent figures present at the event. Ahmed acknowledged the severe impact of the 2022 flood, which rendered many people homeless, underscoring the need for immediate relief measures.
Representing the NEMA Director-General, Hajia Zainab Saidu recounted the successful search and rescue operations conducted in various locations to save individuals stranded by the flood. Following the incident, damage and loss assessments were carried out, and the Federal Government approved relief items to be distributed across states to complement initial state-level interventions.
Based on assessments jointly conducted by NEMA and State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA’s), the Federal Government gave the green light for a special intervention program to assist vulnerable individuals nationwide, especially those affected by the flood, in their efforts to return to normalcy. Ahmed emphasized that this intervention also aims to promote sustainable socio-economic resilience among the targeted vulnerable population.
NEMA deployed its staff for beneficiary verification, working in collaboration with personnel from SEMAs, the Agricultural Development Project, and other relevant stakeholders. A total of 660,884 households were verified, all of which are set to benefit from this special intervention program across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Director-General urged the beneficiaries to use the items judiciously and expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for facilitating this critical intervention.
The relief items encompass a wide range of categories, including food items, non-food items, agricultural inputs, and livelihood equipment, among others.
Ms. Ruth Abisola Olusanya, the Commissioner of Agriculture, also spoke at the event, extending gratitude to the NEMA team and the Federal Government for their continuous responsiveness to the needs of the most vulnerable, particularly flood victims. She encouraged beneficiaries to remain grateful to the government for its benevolence and conveyed the state governor’s appreciation to the NEMA Director-General for his unwavering support during emergencies.
Commissioner Olusanya expressed her hope that NEMA would continue its support to the state, particularly in times of crises, thereby underlining the importance of sustained cooperation in handling emergency situations.
The launch of the Special National Economic and Livelihood Emergency Intervention represents a significant step toward alleviating the suffering of flood victims and vulnerable individuals in Lagos State and beyond.
