President Bola Tinubu announced on Monday the establishment of a disaster relief fund in Maiduguri, Borno State, to assist Nigerians affected by floods and other natural disasters, News About Nigeria reports.
The announcement came during his visit to the state, following the recent flooding caused by the overflow of the Alau Dam.
Speaking at the Borno Government House, Tinubu said the relief fund is urgent due to the increasing unpredictability of climate change, which has made many parts of the country more vulnerable to natural disasters.
The President called on the private sector to collaborate with the government in contributing to the fund.
Tinubu stated, “There must be a disaster relief fund. I will invite the private sector to team up with us and help rebuild the affected areas. If we take a small percentage from FAAC (Federation Account Allocation Committee) and put it towards this fund, we will be strengthening our sense of unity.”
Accompanying the President were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who pledged that the National Assembly would work with the executive to establish the fund, and several governors, including Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu, and Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
During his visit, Tinubu also toured areas affected by the disaster and visited an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at Government Secondary School, Maiduguri, where he sympathised with the victims.
He later met with the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba El-Kanemi, who thanked the President for his visit and urged an investigation into the dam’s collapse to prevent future disasters.
President Tinubu extended his condolences to all states affected by flooding, including Yobe, and pledged continued federal support for the victims.
He commended Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum for his response to the disaster and praised the Nigerian military’s Theatre Command for their evacuation efforts.
The President also acknowledged the contributions of international organisations and federal agencies like the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in providing relief to affected areas.
He said he is committed to rebuilding the affected regions and creating a comprehensive national recovery plan for future natural disasters.
Tinubu concluded by offering prayers for those who lost their lives in the disaster, asking for God’s mercy on the departed, and calling for unity in rebuilding the nation.
