By Victor Lewis
Relief materials provided by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and facilitated by Senator Ede Dafinone (APC, Delta Central) have been distributed to flood victims across several communities in Delta Central Senatorial District, reinforcing federal presence and legislative impact at the grassroots level.
The distribution, which commenced midweek in the Sapele, extended to affected communities in Udu, Ughelli South and Ughelli North Local Government Areas.
Beneficiaries were drawn from Ogbe-Udu, Okwagbe, Ewreni and Uwheru, as well as Vitafoam, Community Road Amukpe, Town Gate Okirigwre, Ojolu, Gana and Orhiakpa.
Relief items distributed included food supplies and essential household materials such as bags of rice and garri, beans, salt, spaghetti, seasoning cubes, canned tomatoes, vegetable and groundnut oil, mosquito nets, towels and maternity dresses.
Speaking at the Gana distribution point in Sapele, Senator Dafinone, represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Chief Justin Uloho, said the intervention was designed to ease the hardship faced by residents whose homes, farmlands and livelihoods were destroyed by the disasters.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the release of the relief materials, describing the President as compassionate and responsive to the plight of affected communities.
Chief Uloho added that Senator Dafinone remained committed to ensuring that federal interventions reached the grassroots, stressing that the distribution would not end in Sapele but would extend to other parts of Delta Central to ensure wider coverage.
At Ogbe-Udu community in Udu Local Government Area, the senator’s Udu LGA Liaison Officer, Engr. Peter Oputu, described the exercise as a direct federal government response through NEMA, facilitated by the senator’s office and aligned with the Delta State Government’s recovery efforts.
“This gesture is to ameliorate the suffering of our people who were affected by the 2022 flood, which destroyed many houses and properties,” Oputu said, while conveying Senator Dafinone’s gratitude to President Tinubu’s administration for its “continual support to the Urhobo people.”
The intervention attracted commendation from community leaders and political stakeholders, many of whom described the exercise as evidence of effective and responsive representation. In Evwreni Kingdom, APC chieftain and former President General of the community, Chief Ohare Victor, praised what he described as Senator Dafinone’s “high-quality representation.”
“We are very happy and overwhelmed that Senator Ede Dafinone sent his team to assist our people by distributing food items and other relief materials to victims who were affected by the 2022 flood which ravaged the kingdom.
“We are very happy and Senator Ede Dafinone’s representation is of high quality and we hope that he continues to deliver his dividends of democracy to the people,” he said.
Beneficiaries across the communities also expressed appreciation, linking the intervention to renewed confidence in governance. Mrs. Blessing Ogheneovo said the relief items would help her family recover from losses suffered during the flood. “We lost many things last year. What we received today will help us survive,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Thelma, described the assistance as timely, noting, “This assistance has reduced our burden. We thank President Tinubu and Senator Dafinone for remembering us.”
A nursing mother, Mrs. Mary Efe, commended the inclusion of maternity items, stating, “It means a lot to us. Government has shown that it cares.”
Similarly, Mrs. Gladys Okoro said the physical presence of officials enhanced public confidence. “Seeing them come here personally makes us feel valued and protected,” she said.
The exercise also generated political goodwill within the senatorial district. Emoregha Tina, a beneficiary from Ewreni, openly linked the intervention to future electoral support, saying,
“We appreciate Senator Ede Dafinone for work well done. May God bless him. As we approach the 2027 general elections, we will stand by him like we did in 2023.”
In Sapele, the Chief Liaison Officer, Chief Patrick Akamuvba, described the distribution as a reflection of effective leadership, commending President Tinubu for prioritising disaster response and Senator Dafinone for facilitating the intervention.
“This is a practical representation. Senator Dafinone has brought federal presence to the people, and we are grateful,” he said.
Officials of NEMA from the Benin Zonal Office monitored the distribution across all locations, accompanying the senator’s entourage to ensure transparency, proper documentation and orderly delivery of the relief materials.
The intervention underscores sustained collaboration between the executive and the legislature in post-disaster recovery, while reinforcing Senator Dafinone’s growing political footprint and grassroots support across Delta Central.
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