Nigeria govt orders disbursement of over $5m to 16 flood ravaged states

The Federal government of Nigeria has ordered the release of 1.6 billion naira (over $5 million) to be disbursed to 16 flood ravaged states across the country.

The order given by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo was relayed by a senior presidential spokesperson who said the funds were to help cushion the effects of the deadly floods that hit parts of the country over the last weekend.

The funds which are to be drawn from the government’s Ecological Account at the central bank is to be released directly to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for onward disbursement to the affected states.

The beneficiary states include the commercial city of Lagos which was flooded over the weekend with some people having to use canoes to navigate their way around as houses and cars were submerged.

The fifteen other states are, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Kebbi, Kwara, Niger, Osun, Oyo, Plateau and Sokoto.

Deaths were recorded in the case of Niger State, whiles mass displacement hit families and businesses in the other states. The order follows a call by the upper house of parliament – the Senate, which called for federal government intervention in the humanitarian crisis.