By Ibrahim Shuaibu
The federal government has commenced the distribution of food and nonfood items to the victims of the 2020 flood disaster in 16 states in the country.
Speaking yesterday at the distribution of the items which held at Miga Local Government Area of Jigawa State, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Bashir Nura, said the support would serve as relief, not compensation, to the victims.
She explained that the socio-economic impact of the 2020 flood was devastating and it resulted in loss of lives and livelihoods in communities across six geopolitical zones with additional impact of COVID-19 pandemic, adding that its containment measures exacerbated the situation in the country.
According to her, “This made the federal government take various actions through various programmes and projects, including the National Social Investment Programme to ameliorate the situation.
“It is on that strength that this intervention funded by the ECOWAS was designed to complement the efforts of the federal government towards the provision of sustainable livelihoods to the victims which focuses on cash and in kind 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, and provisions of shelter kits to 183 households comprising 1,098 persons, mostly widows and women-headed households.
“Also, there will be provision of 62 motorised boreholes and 62 hand washing points across the flood prone states of the country as expected to assist in the stabilisation of beneficiaries and their communities.”
The minister also commended the leadership of ECOWAS commission for its due diligence in implementing the resolution of the member states with regards to the funding support as well as providing expert guidance through the development of the project’s proposal.
In his remarks, the Jigawa State governor, who was also represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Umar Namadi, appreciated the efforts, and promised to continue initiating similar projects for the benefit of Jigawa citizens.
