Succour has come to the way of last year’s flood victims in Jigawa
state as the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), distributed relief materials worth N10 million to the affected communities.
The donation of the relief material to the flood victims is the first of its kind from a trade union in the state.
The state labour congress reached the decision to intervene after visiting 13 local government areas affected by the disaster alongside its affiliates. The union raised the funds to purchase the relief materials with the support of the government.
Civil servants and pensioners in the state were asked to donate the sum of N200 each for the victims and that summed-up to over N10 million which was used in purchasing items for the donation.
Speaking during presentation of the relief materials at the state labour office, the state chairman of the union, Usman Ya’u Dutse, said the officials of the union and its affiliates were deeply touched by what they saw during a tour of the affected areas.
The chairman, who described the condition of victims as pitiable, explained that during the visit they also discovered that most of the victims lost their houses and farmlands to the flood, hence the decision to assist them.
According to him, the humanitarian gesture by the union signified that the labour movement was not only limited to taking care of the social wellbeing of civil servants but also the general public.
Dutse, further said the items to be distributed include, grains, wrappers, blankets, rubber mats and other assorted plastics.
He said the union was working in collaboration with state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) with the view to ensuring that only the victims benefit from the materials.
“The donation to our brothers and sisters, across 13 local government areas of Jigawa state who lost their shelters, farmlands and properties to flood disaster during the last rainy season is on behalf of workers and pensioners in the state.
“When the NLC received the sad news, a delegation of all the chairmen and secretaries of the existing industrial unions visited the most affected areas and sympathized with the victims. During the tour, we witnessed the very sorry and deplorable condition the victims found themselves. This informed the decision to donate N200 per worker as our contribution to ameliorate their sufferings.
“We know that these items ca not compensate the hundreds of millions of naira worth properties lost but only intended to provide some relief to the victims. It is also an indication that Jigawa state workforce has concern to the social and economic wellbeing of our communities.
“The materials worth over N10 million, ready to be distributed to the victims include 250 bags of maize, 150 bags each of millet and guinea corn, 370 pieces of ankara, 330 yards material, 200 pieces of blankets and 308 pieces of rubber mats.
The chairman further said the union, in collaboration with SEMA would distribute materials to the 13 affected local government areas based on the severity of the disaster. 13 teams, comprising officials of the NLC would deliver the allocated items to the affected areas.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Acting Head of Service, Alhaji Hussaini Kila, said the gesture of the state labour union was a clear indication that the union was not only about civil servants but also for all segments of the society.
Kila added that the labour union deserved commendation as the humanitarian intervention would go a long way in putting a smile on the faces of the victims.
“The distribution of the relief material will aid in cushioning the effect of the hardship experienced as a result of the disaster. I therefore, urged the well-meaning individuals and corporate organizations to emulate the gesture.”
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Ahmed Musa a victim from Birnin Kudu, said he lost all his belongings to the disaster adding that, if other organizations and well-meaning individuals in the society would borrow a leaf from the state NLC, their misery would be addressed.
It could be recalled that Executive Secretary of the SEMA, Yusuf Sani Babura, had stated that 21 persons died in the flood which occurred as a result of overflowing of River Hadejia in the state.
He said the deaths were largely as a result of drowning and building collapse and the flood wreaked havoc in 210 communities in the state.
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