*Nigeria鈥檚 Federal Executive, chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, approves the setting up of a Disasters Relief Fund towards activating quick response to victims of disasters, including flooding, across the country

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Sequel to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu鈥檚 recent pledge to rally for institution of a relief fund to cater for affected Nigerians, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the setting up of a Disasters Relief Fund, aimed at engendering quick response to victims of disasters, including flooding, across the country.

绿帽献妻 reports Mr. Olawale Edun, Honourable Minister for Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, disclosed this development Monday, September 23, 2024, while briefing the State House Correspondents after the FEC meeting, in Abuja, FCT.

President Tinubu, who chaired the meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and as a matter of leadership responsibility to cater to the immediate needs of the Nigerians affected by the gale of floods across the country this year, had mooted the idea of establishing a relief fund during his recent sympathy visit to Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

Subsequently, the FEC constituted a Technical Committee to reassess the dams across the country, and particularly the Alau Dam, in Borno State, where scores of lives were lost recently as a result of the flood disaster that ravaged many parts of the state鈥檚 capital, Maiduguri.

The Minister of Water Resources will chair the Committee, which also has other members.

Finance Minister Edun also noted that Fun would be supported with finances from the three tiers of government 鈹�Federal, State and Local Governments 鈹�and private sector players for flood victims.

Government urges Nigerians resident in floodplains to relocate

In the meantime, the Nigerian Government, through the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), has proposed to build five buffer dams to contain incessant flooding which often arise from the release of water from the Lagdo Dam, in Cameroon.

It is noted that the release of water from the Lagdo Dam comes days after water from overflowing Alau Dam killed over 30 persons and swept away thousands of homes in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno State.

The regulatory agency, however, advised Nigerians resident in floodplains in the country to relocate immediately to safe spaces in anticipation of additional floods that annually come with the release of water from the Lagdo Dam.

NIHSA listed flood-prone states to include Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, and Rivers.