The Government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State on Thursday distributed aid packages to 2,300 households affected by severe flooding in Aweil town.
This came after the state government purchased 4,000 sacks of subsidized food items including maize flour, rice, and cooking oil among others on 13 September 13
Speaking during the distribution, Governor Simon Ober Mawut said the aid packages included 500 bags of rice and 1,000 bags of maize flour.
“Today I have come to launch distribution of food items to 2,300 households that are severely affected by floods. What we are distributing as you can see is 1,500 bags of different food items, 500 bags of rice, and 1,000 bags of maize flour,” he said. “This is just the beginning of our efforts and we are expecting more items but circumstances force us not to wait for the one that has been brought from Juba.”
Mawut said the food is to alleviate the suffering of those affected by floods.
He called on development partners and humanitarian actors to assist the flood victims.
“From now on, we will continue supporting the families that are affected as we call upon all our development partners and our humanitarian actors including the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) in Juba to also mobilize for the support of our people,” he said.
For his part, Parson Lual Awech, the state RRC chairperson, said the state government sourced the food items.
“These food items we have distributed are government donations to its people, these are the local assistance from the government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State which we have purchased for our people,” said Lual.
The flood victims who benefited from the aid package expressed their heartfelt appreciation for the government’s assistance.
Floods have destroyed about 100 houses in four residential areas of Aweil and displaced thousands.
Those affected people are camping on high ground by the roadside within Aweil town.