Buhari approves immediate release of 12,000 tonnes of grains to flood victims

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the release of 12, 000 metric tonnes of grains as relief materials for victims of flood disaster across the country.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, made this known at the weekly ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the minister, the Federal Government has so far given intervention to 28 States of the federation.

She said: “The Ministry through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has deployed its emergency response assets including mobile water purification equipment, search and rescue boats and mobile intensive care unit ambulances to conduct lifesaving first aid and support to vulnerable populations.

“So far, NEMA has reached out and responded to over 1, 427, 370 displaced persons in 28 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

”The provision of food and non-food items for immediate relief and building materials to facilitate the rehabilitation of the impacted populations is still ongoing.

“The remaining States comprising of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Kwara, Zamfara, Katsina,Kebbi, Borno and Gombe are still ongoing.

”In furtherance of government’s intervention to the vulnerable population, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the release of 12, 000 metric tonnes of grains comprising of Soghum, Millet and Garri form the National Strategic reserve to NEMA for distribution to the 36 States of the country and the FCT.”

The minister announced that the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation under the leadership of business mogul, Aliko Dangote, had also provided assorted foodstuff worth over N1.5 billion as support to flood victims across the country.

“The Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation under the Chairmanship of Alhaji Aliko Dangote has donated assorted food stuff worth N1.5 billion to NEMA for distribution to all the States of the federation.

” NEMA has already provided warehouse facilities in the six geo-political zones of the federation to receive the items.

”A plan has also been put in place by NEMA to transport and handover the relief materials to the State governments and the FCT authority,” she added.

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On complain by some State governments that they have not received any form of support from NEMA, the minister dismissed such claims as false and untrue.

She revealed that as part of measures to check possible diversion or hoarding of the relief materials, all stakeholders and security agencies were carried along in the distribution process.

The minister also commiserated with those who lost their loved ones as a result of the flood disaster.

According to her, temporary shelters have been erected in 22 States, saying that in the near future, people will be forced to relocate from flood prone areas to avoid been swept away by flood.