The Federal Government has announced its plan to provide N3 billion in support to all states in an effort to mitigate the impact of the recent flood disaster.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, made this disclosure while speaking with journalists at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday after inspecting flood-affected areas in Kebbi.
Edun stated, “I would like to announce that the National Economic Council has proactively decided to allocate N3 billion to support all states across the federation and the FCT in mitigating the effects of flooding 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.”
He noted that this initiative would lead to success by ensuring food availability at reasonably affordable prices, which would help lower inflation and further stabilize the economy. He conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to supporting the state’s efforts to maintain security, enhance resilience, and boost productivity, ultimately solidifying its position as Nigeria’s food basket.
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, also spoke, expressing concern that the flooding had affected many local governments more severely than he had observed during a recent visit.
However, he praised the resilience and determination of the people of Kebbi, assuring that they would be mobilized to achieve better results during the upcoming dry season farming.
The minister also mentioned that, in addition to the N3 billion support, the federal government had approved a Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund, which would be used to finance, among other projects, the Badagry – Sokoto road.
Kebbi state’s appeal for support
Governor Nasir Idris appealed to the federal government for assistance, highlighting that many rice farmlands in the state had been submerged by flooding.
He mentioned that officials had visited Wacot Rice Mill and Matan Fada in Argungu, witnessing firsthand the impact of the flood on rice farmlands. He emphasized that Kebbi, as the leading rice farming state in the country, plays a crucial role in national agriculture.
Backstory
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) last week reported that around 16,000 hectares of farmlands in 27 states have been destroyed by recent floodings in the country. Most of the states affected are around the food belt of the nation- the North central and Northwest regions of the country.
Furthermore, the Minister of state for Agriculture, Sen. Abdullahi Sabi had also stated that the about 51% of farming areas in the country stands at risk of being flooded this year- a major blow to efforts at boosting food production in the country.