The federal government of Nigeria has yesterday flag-off the distribution of food and non food items to the victims of 2020 flood disaster in 16 states.
Speaking at the flagging off of the items which held at Miga local government area of Jigawa State, the minister of federal ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk who was represented by permanent secretary of the ministry Alhaji Bashir Nura said, the support will serve as relief not compensation to the victims.
She explained that, the socio-economic impact of 2020 flood was devastating and it resulted in loss of lives and livelihoods in communities across six geopolitical zone with additional impact of covid-19 pandemic and it’s containment measures exacerbated the situation in the country.
According to her, this made federal government to take various actions through various programmes and projects including National Social Investment Program to ameliorate the situation.
Hajiya Sadiya maintained that, “it is on that strength that this intervention funded by ECOWAS was design to complement the efforts of federal government towards the provision of sustainable livelihoods to the victims which focuses on cash and in kind (food and non food) assistance.
“The in-kind assistance will be carried out in 12 states, while cash assistance will be in four states targeting 1,600 households of 9,600 persons, provisions of shelter kits to 183 households comprising 1,098 persons mostly widows and women-headed households.
“The provision of 62 motorized boreholes and 62 hand washing points across the flood prone states of the country as expected assist in stabilization of beneficiaries and their communities” she said.
The minister then commended the leadership of ECOWAS commission for their due diligence in implementing the resolution of the members state with regards to this funding support and providing expert guidance through the development of the projects proposal.
While making his remarks, the Jigawa state governor who was also represented by his deputy Alhaji Umar Namadi appreciated the effort and to continue initiating a similar projects for the benefits of Jigawa citizens at large.