The Ekiti State Government said on Friday that it has expended N325 million to assist victims of rainstorms, flooding and fire disasters in the last year.
The Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye, disclosed this while distributing materials worth N150 million provided by the government to the first batch of rainstorm victims in Ado Ekiti.
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The multimillion-naira materials distributed to those who fell victim between March and May included cash gifts, planks, nails, iron sheets, several bags of cement, and other building accessories.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Mrs Afuye said a total of 1,042 victims across the 16 Local Government Areas would benefit from the government’s largesse and social intervention programme.
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She said Governor Abiodun Oyebanji has taken proactive actions to prevent disasters in the state by ensuring the clearing of drainages, dredging of waterways, stepping up sensitisation programmes and inauguration of the Local Emergency Management Committees to work at the grassroots.
To make the governor’s efforts yield more dividends, the deputy governor appealed to the local government chairmen to ensure effective and sufficient funding of the newly established Local Emergency Management Committees across the 16 statutory council areas of the state.
“Between last year and now, Governor Oyebanji has assisted victims of reported fire disasters with over N90m, apart from the approval of N150m to the victims of rainstorm between March and May 2025, who are beneficiaries of today.
“Mr Governor has approved and released an additional N50m for the victims of rainfall between June and October, 2025, while a sum of N34m has been approved and released as a cash grant for those whose valuables were gutted by fire recently.
“I appeal to our people to jettison ugly habits of keeping combustible materials that can ignite fire outbreaks within their premises and ensure that all electrical appliances are disabled when not in use. As harmattan is fast approaching, we pray against any disaster that can destroy our communities and our belongings,” she said.
Mrs Afuye added that though the materials distributed may not be sufficient to rebuild their losses, she pointed out that the government provided them to palliate their sufferings at this critical time.
She charged the council bosses to complement the sensitisation and advocacy programmes of the government at the grassroots, so that those notorious for habits that often lead to constant flooding, rainstorms, and fire incidents can be weaned from their nefarious acts.
Speaking in the same vein, the General Manager of Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, Oludare Asaolu, disclosed that the materials and cash gifts to be distributed are worth over N150 million for the first batch of beneficiaries.
Mr Asaolu said the intervention was targeted at mitigating their sufferings and helping them regain their losses, appealing to residents to devise ways of reducing disasters by building flood-resistant structures, embracing afforestation, applying effective drainage systems, enforcing the building planning system, and engaging in community education and advocacy.
The SEMA boss begged the NEMA, as a supervisory body, to continually support the state government to ensure that victims of unpreventable emergencies are not left to suffer.
NEMA Head of Operations in Ekiti State, Kofoworola Soleye, saluted the state government for prioritising the welfare of disaster victims through consistent financial provisions to alleviate their suffering.
READ ALSO: Ekiti govt approves N8.7bn for road construction, electricity extension
Mrs Soleye appealed to the residents to guard against bush burning, take precautions in the use of electrical gadgets and electricity, and embrace a maintenance culture in their residences, pointing out that some of the disaster issues stemmed from negligent and poor dispositions of the citizens.
Also speaking, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Rufus Adejugbe, represented by Odogun of Ado Ekiti, Festus Abegunde, appealed to beneficiaries to make judicious use of the materials, warning that they shouldn’t sell off the products under any guise.
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