The Dangote-led Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (PCFRR), known as Dangote Flood Committee has commenced the distribution of relief materials, worth N1.5 billion to victims of flooding nationwide.
The PCFRR, which was established by the Federal Government following the 2012 flooding, is co-chaired by Africa’s foremost industrialist Aliko Dangote and Dr. Olisa Agbakoba.
The flagging off ceremony for the distribution of relief materials for 2022 started in Borno State and was conducted by the Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, on Tuesday.
The governor thanked the committee and promised that he will ensure that the items get to the victims.
A UNICEF report revealed that the 2022 flood killed over 600 people, displaced 1.3 million and destroyed more than 82,000 homes in Nigeria, therefore making it the worst in decades.
The PCFRR representative, Alhaji Umar Musa Gulani, assured at the flagging off for the Northeast zone that the exercise would also be conducted in other geopolitical zones.
Gulani said the items from the Ccmmittee have been officially handed over to the state government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The breakdown of items donated includes 86 bags of rice, 34 bags of beans, 34 bags of maize, 34 bags of millet, 34 bags of Guinea Corn, 34 bags of Garri, 86 cartons of noodles, 86 cartons of spaghetti, 86 cartons of macaroni and 86 bags of sugar, and 857 bags of cement, among several food and non-food items.
Gulani said over N10 billion has been expended by the committee to mitigate the effect of flooding since inception in 2012, adding that no fewer than 84 Hostels have been built for flood victims in 24 states of Nigeria.
He said “This private sector led project is highly commendable and it has been sustained in the past ten years. It is a selfless service from the private sector and Nigerians should appreciate their selfless service to humanity.”
Director General of NEMA Alhaji Mustapha Habib Ahmed, described the committee’s intervention as a milestone for Nigeria in general, and flood victims in particular.
Responding to the humanitarian outcomes of this nature requires concerted effort, the DG said the donation by the committee would eventually be made available to flood victims across the affected states in Nigeria.
