In a bid to rescue some citizens from the pain of homelessness, the Ekiti State Government has donated relief materials to 112 victims of rainstorm in two communities in the state.

The government expressed sympathy and grief over pains experienced by the victims, whose rooftops were blown off at Oke-Ako and Ijesa-Isu Ekiti in Ikole Local Council of the state, on March 3, 2023, during a stormy rainfall.

Materials distributed included roofing planks, nails of varying sizes, corrugated sheets, and consumables like rice, garri, spaghetti. The Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, who presented the materials, yesterday, in Ado-Ekiti, said the government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji would continue to give succour to victims of any disaster to avert suffering of undue emotional and economic crises.

Afuye, represented by her Deputy Chief of Staff, Victor Adeniyi, said the government felt pained by the displacement and harrowing conditions the victims were subjected to, urging them to keep faith that the current government is capable of improving their well-being.

The deputy governor said: “Natural disaster that happened on March 3, 2023 was very painful and sad. It was sad having over 112 buildings blown off and destroyed, with hundreds rendered homeless in two communities. The experience was painful to this government.

“As a government that is determined to uplift the well-being of our people, we acted swiftly and collated the victims’ names. We couldn’t have allowed our people to go into distress; that is why we accord this with priority.

“Let us try and maintain peace and be calm even when situation like this happens. We appreciate the governor for acting swiftly to palliate the sufferings of the people that were caught in the web of this rainstorm.

“Disaster like this is something that is preventable by planting trees around our buildings to break any destructive wind from having its way. Let us also try and look after our buildings by repairing areas suspected to be weak before the commencement of raining season.

“I charge you to use these materials judiciously for the purpose they were meant for. The government of Ekiti State is ready to support any citizen who has any genuine challenge to put smiles on the faces of those who elected us”.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Ajoni Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Michael Ogungbemi, applauded the government for showing concern about the plights of the victims, with quick presentation of relief materials to rebuild their damaged property.

Ogungbemi described the gesture as signposting that Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration is masses-oriented and demonstrating enormous respect for the sanctity of lives.