The ECOWAS Commission has donated the sum of N640 million to Nigeria to support victims of flood disasters in Borno and Bauchi states.
Both North-East states are to benefit . N320 million each.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr announced the donation on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, during a courtesy visit to Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, in Abuja on Thursday.
During the courtesy visit, Sarr extended the heartfelt condolences of Dr Omar Alieu Touray to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of ECOWAS, Ahmed Tinubu, and also to all Nigerians on the recent flood disasters which claimed the lives of many people, displaced huge populations and destroyed properties worth trillions of Naira.
She commended the Government of President Bola Tinubu and current ECOWAS Chairman, on its immediate response to the flood disasters and its continued humanitarian assistance to the victims and affected communities .
While acknowledging that the ECOWAS region has experienced extreme weather conditions over the years due to climate change and other related factors like floods which have destroyed lives and properties thereby leaving populations and communities fragilized, with weakening coping thresholds, the Commissioner reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment and continued support to Nigeria and other member states .
Sarr said: “The ECOWAS Commission stands firmly with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in these difficult periods. In the event of this disaster, the Government of Nigeria has demonstrated its resoluteness even in times of need.”
“To demonstrate our solidarity to the people of Nigeria, especially the victims and the communities affected, and to address the immediate effect of the disaster critically affecting women, children and other vulnerable groups with thousands of people in need of humanitarian services such as food, shelter, water, sanitation, emergency health and protection needs, the ECOWAS Commission is donating the sum of over Three Hundred and Twenty Million (N320, 000, 000) Naira for assistance to the victims of the flood in Borno State, and the sum of over Three Hundred and Twenty Million (N320, 000, 000) Naira for assistance to the victims of the flood in Bauchi State.”
Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mr. Abel Enitan, thanked the ECOWAS Commission for its continued support to Nigeria and pledged to use the donations judiciously to support victims of flooding and affected communities in Borno and Bauchi states.
“On behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I want to most honourably and sincerely thank and appreciate ECOWAS for its magnanimity and continued support to Nigeria. The donation of N650million to support the victims of flooding and affected communities in Bauch and Borno states symbolises ECOWAS’ continued solidarity to Nigeria in this trying period. It also demonstrates the Commission’s unwavering support to H.E, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is also the current President of ECOWAS,” said Enitan.
Michael Olugbode
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