Presidential committee on flood diverts relief donations

Dangote had announced that a sub-committee, headed by Ambassador Godknows Igali, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Power, was working on plans to intervene in a variety of disaster scenario and would submit its report in the first week of April for immediate consideration and implementation.“We didn’t have much flooding in 2013 and the rainy season […]

Dangote had announced that a sub-committee, headed by Ambassador Godknows Igali, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Power, was working on plans to intervene in a variety of disaster scenario and would submit its report in the first week of April for immediate consideration and implementation.
“We didn’t have much flooding in 2013 and the rainy season has not reached its peak yet this year. We believe that millions of Nigerians are in need, and that calls for the need to provide between N750m to N800m to assist them,” Dangote explained.
Many communities in the country are affected by communal conflicts in recent time. This, according to the committee, propelled it to move beyond its terms of reference and wade into the problems of the people.
The committee, considering the effects of conflicts in parts of Nigeria perpetrated by the Boko Haram insurgency and feuding communities, decided to extend its tentacles to non-flood related emergencies.
This intervention, according to Alhaji Aliko Dangote, was also informed by the fact that anticipated high level floods in the country did not occur in 2013.
Briefing newsmen, the Director General National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, who is a member of the committee, said NOA was working in tandem with other agencies to create sufficient disaster mitigation awareness at the grassroots.
He assured Nigerians of fair, balanced and equitable distribution of disaster relief projects which he said would be sited devoid of political and other sentiments but based purely on merit and need.
Calling for support from Nigerians and international donor agencies, Omeri said there was no limit to contributions towards saving human lives, and asked all Nigerians, including those who had made pledges to assist in disaster relief and rehabilitation, to come forward and fulfil such promises.
The relief committee also established an eleven-man committee headed by former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Tunde Lemon, in April to immediately implement the relief efforts.
Although the mandate of the committee was well spelt out when President Goodluck Jonathan announced its establishment during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, October 9, 2012, which is to intervene in fund raising for the relief and rehabilitation of flood disaster victims in the aftermath of the ravaging floods that affected many states across the country that year, the committee was also expected to advise government on the judicious utilization of funds raised and had the president’s authority to co-opt any other persons or organizations that it may find useful in carrying out its assignment.
The committee was given 12 months to complete its duties and report back to the President.
The 34-man presidential committee set out to raise about N100bn through a fund-raising dinner, though donations and pledges made by prominent Nigerians during the dinner only amounted to N11.35 billion. This was despite tax incentives announced by President Jonathan for all corporate organizations that would donate to the flood relief fund.
Dangote and the Federal Government topped the donors’ list with the donation of N2.5bn apiece, while business giants, Jim Ovia, Chairman of Visafone and Tony Elumelu, came second with N1bn each.
By June 13, 2013, the committee had invited technical and financial bids from reputable companies for building of houses as well as provision of essential amenities in the 22 states affected by the 2012 flooding.
The states include Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Rivers and Taraba.
The projects to be sited in the states include 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom flats in the affected states as well as construction of community centres. They also include procurement and installation of mobile solar powered packaged water treatment plants and generator powered water treatment plants, procurement and installation of solar powered hand pumps and rehabilitation of existing boreholes. The committee had announced that it would give preference to contractors from the affected states in order to ensure timely completion of the projects.
More cheering was the news that came from the presidential committee after a meeting on March 28, 2014 that all was set for the commencement of the award of contracts for the provision of disaster relief infrastructure, this time in more than 24 states of the federation, from the second week of April.