Tinubu orders establishment of Disaster Relief Fund to tackle flooding and others

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the creation of a Disaster Relief Fund to tackle flooding and other related occurrences.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun said the president gave the directive during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on Monday, September 23, 2024.

He said based on the fact that disasters such as the Maiduguri flooding will likely become a regular occurrence because of climatic changes, there is need for specialised kind of funding to meet emerging demands and challenges associated with the phenomenon.

No fewer than 400,000 people were displaced and 100 died in the flood disaster that occurred in Maiduguri early this month.

During a visit to the state, Tinubu announced a disaster relief fund to assist Nigerian citizens impacted by floods and other disasters.

Tinubu who urged the private sector to contribute to the fund, said such an initiative is expedient as the climate becomes more unpredictable and many regions in the country become vulnerable to its vagaries.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement he signed Monday titled, ‘President Tinubu visits Borno state, pledges more support for citizens, creation of disaster relief fund.’

Tinubu visited the Shehu of Borno, an Internally Displaced Persons camp at the Government Secondary School in Maiduguri and had a drive-through of the areas affected by the disaster.