The Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, has donated relief materials to seven families, including 22 children, who were rendered homeless due to the building collapse that occurred on June 19 in the state.
According to the News Agency Of Nigeria, the Head of Relief Materials in the State Emergency Management Agency, Chinasa Mbah, made this known on Wednesday that the incident occurred at Ifoh Layout, Abakpa Nike area of Enugu.
The victims who were living in the building that collapsed lost all their valuables, but no life was lost.
The SEMA official disclosed that items donated to the victims included bags of rice, corn, beans, garri, and cartons of toilet soap, tomato paste, and groundnut oil, as well as bags of salt, mosquito nets, and mats, among others.
One of the victims and a nursing mother, Mrs. Juliana Ugwu, appreciated the governor’s gesture and prayed to God to bless him.
According to her, the incident occurred at night, just as she was about to bathe her then-two-week-old baby.
Ugwu said, “That night, around 7 p.m., I was about to bathe my two-week-old baby. I had brought out the things I was going to use to bathe her when I heard a crack outside.
“I told my husband. So, he went outside and saw that it was the blocks of the house that cracked. Neighbours also heard the noise and came out.
“They raised the alarm that everybody should come outside the building; it was not until ten minutes after we ran outside that the house started sinking and eventually collapsed.’’
A neighbour, Dr. Fred Iloh, who sheltered some of the victims, commended Gov. Mbah for reaching out to them.
He also thanked all those who have supported the victims so far and urged them to provide accommodation for the victims.
While blaming the collapse on a lack of drainage and poor structure, he admonished property owners to always provide a good drainage system and avoid building on waterways.
