Jigawa Govt To Establish Flood Disaster Trust Fund

From: Ajiya Ayuba, Bauchi

The Jigawa State Government on Saturday said it will establish a Permanent Flood Disaster Emergency Trust Fund to cater for the management of recurrent flood disasters in the state.

Governor Mallam Umar Namadi made this while inaugurating a flood disaster management committee at the Government House in Dutse the capital city of Jigawa State.

The NATIONS NEWS NIGERIA reports that the committee is chaired by Arc. Aminu Kani, and other members and was tasked to smooth and finalize the establishment/ operation of the Flood Disaster Emergency Trust Fund.

In his remarks during the inauguration, Governor Namadi expressed his satisfaction with the progress made in tackling the 2022 flood disaster incident and emphasized the importance of swift action in addressing the pending issues from the previous committee’s report.

He commended the efforts of the former committee, which mobilized over N1.1 billion to fund and provided relief materials to over 34,000 victims, including families of deceased victims.

“The objective is for the Trust Fund to serve as a first resort emergency response for rehabilitation and relief to disaster victims on a sustainable basis. Already a draft bill has been produced by the former committee but needs to be subjected to further review before it is finalized for further appropriate action.”

Governor Namadi expressed that the primary objectives of the newly inaugurated committee include: finalizing the operational modalities of the Permanent Flood Disaster Trust Fund, reviewing and updating the draft bill for the Trust Fund, which will cover its establishment, funding sources, governance structure, and operational procedures, and resolving any pending payment issues through reconciliations with relevant banks.

He expressed confidence in the committee members’ ability to fulfill their mandate within the designated timeframe of two months. He assured them of the necessary logistical support to facilitate the smooth execution of their tasks.