Flooding: FG to support affected states with N3b

Federal Government has said it will support states affected by flood with N3 billion to mitigate the effect of the menace.

This was revealed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun, while interacting with journalists at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the minister spoke shortly after inspecting some areas affected by flood in Kebbi.

Mr Edun said: “I will announce here that the National Economic Council has been proactive and has taken action in order to support all the states of the federation and the FCT with N3 billion to mitigate the effect of flood this year.

“That will put many states like Kebbi in a good position to be able to prepare their farmers to the all important dry season farming, which we anticipate will be successful, well planned and well implemented

This, he said, would lead to success, paving way for food availability at reasonable affordable prices, adding that it would lower inflation and help to further stabilise the economy.

He expressed President Bola Tinubu’s willingness to assist them to maintain its level of security, resilience and to improve and increase its productivity and become the food basket of Nigeria.

Also speaking, the minister of Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, lamented that the flooding had affected many local governments beyond what he saw when he visited the areas recently.

He, however, commended the resilience and confidence of Kebbi people, assuring that they would be mobilised to do better during the dry season farming.

The minister said that apart from the N3 billion, the federal government had approved a Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund that would be used for funding, among other things, the Badagry – Sokoto road.