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Thursday 11 October 2012

President Jonathan Inauguratesnational Committee On Flood Relief And Rehabiltion; Committee Targets Minimum Of 100 Billion Naira



President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday inaugurated the National Committee on Flood relief and Rehabilitation to primarily raise funds to complement Federal Government efforts to cushion the immediate effects of the natural disasters

The Committee has also been given the mandate to aid the resettlement and recovery of affected persons as well as to oversee judicious utilization of the funds raised within a one year period

But the President is not limiting the terms of reference of the committee to raising funds alone but has given the body a blank cheque to deliberate on any issue that may be relevant to tackling the flood menace


This year's floods are said to be 50percent more in intensity than last year's floods which were also severe in some parts of the country

The extent of devastation has necessitated President Jonathan raising this committee to complement Government's efforts in ameliorating the suffering of those affected by the floods

Pointing out that between 50 to 70 percent of land in some states including Bayelsa state  were under water, the President noted that the magnitude of refugees in a country of 167 million was better imagined

And this is why he is giving the Committee the leverage to offer advise on critical things that government may not even be aware of  but which may be useful in managing the impact of the devastating flood 


But the main assignment according to President Jonathan is to raise funds so that by the time the flood recedes  before the middle of November the people can be rehabilitated and resettled in their communities and wouldn't continue to live in camps


Co-Chairman of the Committee, business mogul, Aliko Dangote explained that there is no ceiling to what the committee is aiming to raise but says its minimum target is 100 billion Naira 

What are the strategies in place to ensure the actual victims benefit from the efforts of relief, rehabilitation, resettlement?


Already the committee is taking its blanket cheque seriously as it is already talking of getting to the root cause of the floods, something Government has been strangely silent on

The Co-Chair of the National Committee on Flood relief and Rehabilitation has pointed out quite rightly that next year's floods may be worse than what is currently being expected which is why government must take seriously, recommendations emanating from the body if the country will not be once again taken by surprise

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