By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints Tuesday donated $150,000 worth of relief materials to the victims of flood disaster in Benue state. 

Doing a symbolic handover of the materials to Governor Samuel Ortom in Makurdi, the Regional Manager of the Welfare and Self Reliance Services of the Church, Mr. Charles Adebayo said the intervention was the Church’s little way of supporting victims of the disaster in the state. 

He said “we came to the knowledge of the recent flood disaster in Benue state, and the humanitarian arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has come to offer its hands of assistance to support our brothers and sisters who have been affected in the various communities. 

“As a result of the information we had, we have put together some humanitarian goods worth 150,000 Dollars. The items include 800 bags of rice, 800 bags of beans, 200 bags of semovita, 200 cartons of beverages, 200 palm oil splits, vegetables oil splits, 400 cartons of noodles, 200 cartons of spices, 500 sachets of salt, sugar, 400 bags of garri and 1,500 sachets of crayfish. We also have other items like buckets, toilet soap, bar soap among others.” 

Also, the Mission President, Hosborn Usi, represented by the First Councillor in the Enugu, Nigeria Mission, Godwin Timiun, said the church had been on ground in Benue since 2014. 

The Mission President who explained that the church had extended its arm of charity in several previous occasions said “when such things happen, the church does not only look at its membership but extends to non members.” 

Receiving the relief materials, Governor Ortom who commended the Church for the intervention urged other faith-based organisations to emulate the church. 

He said “I think for this year as far as I know this is the first time an organisation outside the government is bringing relief and help to us here in Benue state. 

“We are grateful, excited and happy and want to encourage other faith based organisations, spirited individuals and people of good will to truly reach out and just in Benue state but other states.” 

He promised that the items would be judiciously distributed by the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, to the over 134,000 persons displaced by flood in the state.