Insecurity, Flood: FEC approves N27.4bn intervention for victims 

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), Presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday approved the sum of  N27.4 billion for victims of insecurity and flood across the country.

Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting, Kebbi State Governor and vice chairman of National Food Security Council, Atiku Bagudu, said FEC first approved the N8,558,529,755 for 69,872 victims of conflicts and insecurity, many of whom have been displaced from their homes with some now living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.

According to him, the beneficiaries are spread across Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

The intervention includes provision of fertilizer, seedlings, chemicals, poultry and animals to enable them resume economic activity.

He said contracts would be awarded to 15 companies to provide seedlings, agro chemicals and fertilizers to beneficiaries located in 14 states.

Bagudu said the council also approved N18,942,818,912.14 for 116,117  victims of flood in Adamawa, Anambra, Beyelsa, Benue, Delta, Edo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Rivers, Sokoto and Taraba.

As part of the work of national food security council, other interventions have been considered and are being worked upon by the beneficiary community and also the livestock sector.

He stated: “While support has been given in terms of accommodation, food, welfare, the national food security council considered the importance of helping them restore their livelihood activities, particularly agricultural activity.”

The minister of environment, Suleiman Hassan said FEC also approved another tranche of five contracts totalling N3.09 billion for continuation of remedial work on Ogoni land environmental reclamation project.

The reclamation project is sequel to the United Nation Environmental Programme (UNEP) report, for which Buhari flagged of the project in 2016. Sixteen contracts had earlier been awarded for the project.

The Education Minister said council also approved a TETFUND intervention contract of N613.3 million for the construction of Faculty of Arts complex at Adamawa State University; and the Nigeria’s signing of the Safe School Initiative to make schooling and education safe on the country.

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said FEC also approved contract augmentation for the completion of Enugu water supply scheme, thus increasing the contract sum.