Freetown, December 31st, 2022 – The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), with support from its partners, has commenced the provision of relief support to the Funkia Market Fire Victims. The Directorate of Relief and Response of the NDMA distributed food and non-food items to 211 households. It facilitated the direct cash transfer as livelihood support to 134 traders that lost their businesses to the inferno.
It would be recalled that on December 29th, the NDMA held a coordination meeting in which a comprehensive damage and loss assessment on the Funkia Market fire incident was presented to key partners to solicit support for the affected population.
Consequently, UNICEF and WPF responded to the call of the NDMA. UNICEF provided 2 Milla Water Storage Tanks (10,000 Litres each), and WASH items which include: Veronica buckets, drinking cups, spoons, and jerry cans, whilst WFP committed to providing two months of food assistance and directly transferred (via orange money) the sum of Nle3,450 to each of the 211 affected households.
The Funkia Market fire incident, which occurred on December 25th, at the England Ville Community Goderich, left 938 individuals homeless and injured 16 others. The fire also razed down businesses and properties that include 5 stores, 46 shops and 136 wooden stalls.
Member of Parliament of the Constituency (109), Hon. Abdul Sulaiman Marray-Conteh together with the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Mrs Emma Kowa Jalloh, and the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Mrs Ann Marie Harding, supported the victims with 20 bundles of CI sheets, 120 bags of cement, packets of roofing nails and bundles of tarpaulins.
As an institution mandated to manage disaster-related incidents in Sierra Leone, the NDMA is committed to effectively delivering on its mandate and continuing to coordinate relief support for victims to minimize their suffering and help them recover greatly.
Members of the public, institutions, corporate houses and philanthropists who may wish to support the victims in any form are encouraged to call on the NDMA at 64 Sir Samuel Lewis Road, Aberdeen, Freetown to ensure interventions are directed to the actual beneficiaries.
