• Targets 12, 600 persons in 2,100 households
The Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) has presented two cheques worth $1,906,205 (N2,859,307,500) as humanitarian support for persons affected by violence and floods in Nigeria.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Fatima Sow-Sarr, disclosed this, yesterday, in Abuja, during an inspection meeting to commence the ‘ECOWAS Projects for Humanitarian Response for affected Population for Post-2022 Flood Disaster and Food and Nutrition Assistance and other Support to Vulnerable People in Northern Nigeria, Phase Two.’
She said ECOWAS is presenting the two cheques to support two separate humanitarian projects to be managed separately by the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) and the Word Bank in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Sow-Sarr said ECOWAS humanitarian assistance is targeting 12,600 persons in 2,100 households that are classified as Persons of Concern (POC).
“These persons that are victims of one sort of disaster or other sorts of unfortunate events that have caused deaths, forced displacements, loss of property and livelihoods or are potentially exposed to calamities mean a lot to us and we are continually concerned about ameliorating their conditions.
“The ECOWAS Commission will present cheques for response to the flood disaster that afflicted Nigeria in 2022, as well as a cheque to support victims of violence in Nigeria in 2023 towards the stabilisation of those POC,” she said.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Abel Enitan, said the ECOWAS intervention would go a long way in boosting Federal Government’s drive to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable populations in Nigeria.
Also, Secretary-General of the NRCS, Abubakar Kende, who was represented by the Director, Disaster Management of the agency, Benson Agbro, said: “Last year, the NRCS signed a tripartite agreement with ECOWAS and the humanitarian ministry in support of vulnerable households in flood-affected communities in Adamawa, Anambra, Oyo, Kebbi, Kogi and Rivers states and ECOWAS is supporting this laudable initiative with $906,205.”
