By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
The Nigerian Red Cross Society with support from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, through its Livelihood support programme, has put smile on the faces of 500 persons living in two Edo communities ravaged by flood.
The communities are Ikpe in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area and Ogbesse in Ovia North East Local Government Area, both in Edo state respectively.
Addressing some of the beneficiaries in Ikpe Community, Mr. Wilson Ekhomogiazin, Branch Secretary, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Edo State, said 500 persons from the both communities have been penciled down for the Livelihood support programme.
He said each beneficiaries is expected to plough whatever he or she is given into their businesses adding that it will help improve on their standard of living.
Mr. Ekhomogiazin said that the Nigerian Red Cross Society visited the both communities in 2024 to assess the impact of flood on them and discovered that they actually needed help which has finally materialized today.
Ekhomogiazin said that the livelihood support programme captures the vulnerable vis-a-vis the elderly, physically challenged persons, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.
He said the programme is one of the ways the Nigerian Red Cross Society is improving the lives of the indigent Nigerians in the society.
Ekhomogiazin who said that the Nigerian Red Cross Society also empowered 1000 indigent persons in the various communities in the state in 2024, stressed that they issued an early warning protocol to them last year too.
“In October 2024, we implemented what we call the simplified early warning protocol.
“The essence of that simplified early warning protocol was to provide some sort of capacity for communities that are prone to flood disaster and we provided support to 1000 household”, Ekhomogiazin said.
Also speaking, Nwaoha Charity, Disaster Management Officer (Migration), Abuja, who commended the process of selecting the beneficiaries, said those chosen, have met the criteria for selections.
She said the process was free from any forms manipulations just as she urged the beneficiaries to join the Nigerian Red Cross Society so that they can also impact lives.
For the National Emergency Management Agency, Benin, Mr. Joseph Akoofabe, he said the community will always be included whenever the federal government is making provisions for communities submerged by flood or experiencing flooding.
On the part of the Director of Rehabilitation Services, Ministry of Women Affairs, Edo State, Mr. Sylvester Okeoguale, he commended the Nigerian Red Cross Society for rendering a helping hand to the indigents in the society.
He urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the funds given to them noting that it is very difficult for such a help to come by nowadays.
Speaking for the beneficiaries, the chairman of Ikpe Community, Mr. Christopher Victor, applauded the donor for their kind gesture and promised that the funds will be judiciously utilized.
