Akwa Ibom flood victims express gratitude to Tinubu, NEMA, urge more support
Residents affected by the 2025 floods in Akwa Ibom State have expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for relief interventions.
They called for more sustained assistance to address the lingering devastation.
The commendations came during a visit by a NEMA Monitoring and Evaluation Team, led by Mr. Manzo Ezekiel, to Uyo to assess the impact of the aid provided.
Relief items distributed included building materials such as cement and zinc sheets, as well as essential household goods.
Mr. Emmanuel Ekong, a resident of Use-Offot in Uyo metropolis, said the federal government and NEMA’s efforts were commendable but insufficient to fully address the losses suffered.
“NEMA donated some bags of cement to help rebuild our collapsed fences. We are grateful, but the assistance is grossly inadequate considering the scale of the flooding,” Ekong said.
He appealed for long-term measures to permanently mitigate flood risks in the community.
The team also visited Afaha Offot, a village particularly prone to flooding, where Village Head Chief David Etuk thanked the authorities for their support but stressed that more action was needed.
“The floods here are enormous, and while we appreciate relief visits and food donations, what is truly needed is a lasting solution to prevent recurrent destruction,” Etuk noted.
Other beneficiaries, such as Miss Mary Dennis, shared similar sentiments.
Dennis, who lost personal belongings during the floods, expressed gratitude for items received, including a mattress, blanket, mat, stove, and bucket, describing the federal government’s intervention as timely and helpful.
Speaking on the exercise, Mr. Ezekiel emphasised that NEMA’s visit aimed to hear directly from the victims and gather feedback to improve planning and interventions.
“We are not just concerned about delivering relief items; we want to understand the plights and difficulties the victims face so that our future responses are more effective,” he said.
Ezekiel also highlighted steps residents could take to reduce flooding risks, such as desilting drains and avoiding dumping refuse into gutters.
He assured that concerns raised about ecological management would be forwarded to the relevant authorities.
The visit reflected NEMA’s commitment to connecting with communities affected by natural disasters, ensuring that relief efforts are both impactful and responsive to the needs of vulnerable populations.
