From Fred Itua, Abuja

The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has received over N1.2 billion ($906,205) flood disaster stabilisation fund from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The fund is for humanitarian response to affected populations for post-2022 flood disaster and food and nutrition Assistance and other support to vulnerable people in Northern Nigeria.

It also received the sum of $1000,000 to support and stabilise the victims of 2023 violence in Nigeria.

The ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, said Nigeria was accordingly allocated $906,205 and without doubt, received the highest amount among the member states due to the impact of the flooding.

She added that within the spirit of the same framework, the ECOWAS Commission provided the sum of $1,000,000 as funds for assisting victims of violence in Nigeria referred to as the Stabilisation Fund for Assisting Victims of Violence in Nigeria.

She said: “Both funds are intended to assist the populations affected in their recovery and resilience-building processes. Consequently, in line with the provisions of the ECOWAS Humanitarian Mechanism which provides for the processes and procedures of delivering humanitarian assistance to ECOWAS Citizens, the Nigerian Government through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty alleviation was requested to identify credible implementing partners as implementors of the projects.”

“Accordingly, the Nigerian Red Cross Society was presented is implementing the flood disaster response while the World Food Programe WFP-Nigeria) is implementing the Stabilization project.

“The needs which were identified through extensive and careful assessment by our capable implementing partners evaluated by the Nigerian Government in collaboration with the ECOWAS team, will in doubt, enable us to touch the lives of the people identified.

“They will be delivered through several methodologies which include direct cash transfers, rehabilitation of existing domestic infrastructure, delivery of food and non food items, and some capacity building activities.

“For Nigeria, we are mindful that the selected population is only a minute set within the larger persons of concern but hopeful that the impact would be significant.”

She also disclosed that ECOWAS has developed appropriate mechanisms for realizing the vision 2050 with regards to an ECOWAS of the Peoples

“Our focus will continue to be people-centred. Therefore, projects such as this will continue to be the focus of the Management of ECOWAS programming.

“We invite you all to continue to accompany us to change the lives and livelihoods of our peoples for good, especially those at the grass roots,” she said.

Earlier, the Director of Humanitarian Affairs, Valentine Ezulu, explained that humanitarian response for affected populations for post 2022 flood disaster in Nigeria would be carried out in Adamawa, Kogi, Kebbi, Oyo, Rivers and Anambra States respectively

Ezulu also said, this is following the World Bank (WB) report/statstics as shown as the worst affected States and the Project is aimed at alleviating the suffering of 2,100 households (HH) and 12,600 persons and the 2,100 HHs to divided into 350 HH per State.

He assured that the outcome would be immediate needs of the target Communities are met through the provision of Essential Household Items (EHIs) including Food and Non-food Item.

“Furthermore, the provision of Shelter/VIP latrine needs of the affected person should have been met through this intervention, water supply in the selected Communities should have been met at the expiration of the Project thereby raising awareness regarding the anticipated flood in 2024 within and outside the selected States.

“In addition, the ECOWAS Food and Nutrition Assistance and other Support to Vulnerable People in Northern Nigeria, Phase 1, commenced in 2021 with Borno, Katsina and Zamfara States being the beneficiaries.”

“It is pertinent to note at this juncture, that the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation appreciates the ECOWAS for considering commencing the Phase 2 of the Project in Katsina and Sokoto States a indicated by the Ministry based on the malnutrition experienced in ther States,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Director of Disaster Management of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Benson Agbro in his speech, disclosed that in an effort to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable in Nigeria, at the end of last year the Nigerian Red Cross Society signed a tripartite agreement with Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (FMHAPA) in support of vulnerable households in flood affected communities in Adamawa, Anambra, Oyo, Kebbi, Kogi and Rivers states.

He further explained that the joint efforts will include the provision of food and cash assistance to 3,500 households.

“We will also focus on constructing 12 water boreholes to ensure access to clean water, thereby reducing the risk of water-borne diseases in selected communities.

“ECOWAS is supporting this laudable initiative with Nine hundred and six thousand, two hundred and five dollars ($906,205).

“While we thank the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for facilitating yet another support to these families through the Nigerian Red Cross Society, we encourage relevant stakeholders to act and provide the necessary infrastructure needed to control and mitigate the effects of flooding thereby improving people’s lives.

“Indeed, it calls for collective and decisive action by all concerned stakeholders as the government cannot do it alone. In recent years, flooding have become a routine, annual happening, but Flood Disaster affects lives and a drain on the economy.”

“With the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, we are ready to go to these selected communities to deliver essential humanitarian aid to 21,000 individuals in 3,500 Households across six severely affected states to aid the Flood survivors to rehabilitate themselves and return to their normal lives,” he added.