By Ademola Orunbon
The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has launched the implementation of the Special National Economic Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI) programme, a Federal Government initiative aimed at aiding Nigerian farmers affected by the 2022 flood disaster across all States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Speaking at the event held at the MKO Abiola Trade Fair, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Governor emphasised that the intervention programme was targeted at stimulating grassroots-level economic activities by providing support to selected beneficiaries.
Abiodun, represented by the State’s Scribe, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi added that the initiative would also assist the beneficiaries to start their businesses and further contribute to the national economic growth.
He encouraged beneficiaries to ensure the effective and judicious use of the items provided, assuring them that the distribution would be carried out among those previously verified and enumerated.
The Governor, who expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the succour, further pledged to collaborate with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to ensure a smooth and seamless distribution of items to the intended beneficiaries.
In his remarks, the Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, represented by the agency’s Head of Communication, Mr. Emmanuel Ogba, noted that the Federal Government intervention programme was to assist the 2022 flood victims and vulnerable individuals in Ogun State and help them return to normalcy quickly.
Ahmed stated further that the items distributed included agricultural products, crop seedlings, livelihood equipment (such as sewing and grinding machines), non-food items (like cooking pots, mosquito nets, and mattresses), and agricultural inputs (like maize, pesticides, growth enhancers, knapsack sprayers, and water pumps).
Director, Ogun State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Wale Shonde reteirated that the sad flood incident of 2022 affected many communities across the state with majority of the people displaced and their farmlands and crops destroyed leading to loss of investment worth millions of naira.
Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, Mr. Raphael Oyedele and Mrs. Kafayat Mustapha hailed the Federal Government through Governor Abiodun for the intervention programme, assuring of proper usage of the benefitted items to improve their livelihood.
