President Bola Tinubu has approved an emergency relief fund of ₦2 billion for the immediate reconstruction of homes destroyed by recent flood disasters in Mokwa, Niger State.
The announcement was made by Vice President Kashim Shettima during his official visit to the flood-affected communities on Wednesday.
Shettima, who delivered the president’s condolences, assured residents that the federal government would not only address the humanitarian crisis but also ensure long-term infrastructural solutions in partnership with the Niger State Government.
“The President specifically instructed me to come to Mokwa to commiserate with the people over the tragedy that befell the town. His heart is with the grieving people,” Shettima stated.
To expedite action, President Tinubu directed the Ministers of Environment and State for Agriculture to relocate to Niger State. Their mandate is to commence urgent intervention works under the ACRSAL project, with focus on drainage issues that worsened the flood impact.
READ ALSO: Shettima visits Mokwa as flood toll hits 200
The federal government has also dispatched 20 truckloads of food items for distribution to verified victims. The delivery process will be conducted in collaboration with the Village Head of Mokwa, Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu.
Commending the swift response from the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Niger State Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba appealed for immediate federal intervention to restore collapsed infrastructure.
He noted that four bridges had been washed away, disrupting mobility and education in towns like Rabba where students are stranded during rainfall.
“We need quick intervention. The bridge needs to be fixed immediately. Over 2,000 houses were destroyed. We have land ready for resettlement if the federal government will support housing reconstruction,” Garba said.
Also speaking, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, urged the federal government to complete several abandoned and stalled road projects across the state.
These include the Mokwa-Brini-Gwari-Kaduna, Lambata-Bida, Bida-Patigi, and Agaie-Match Boro roads, which he said are vital to the state’s economy.
He emphasized the urgency of deploying ecological experts to manage the growing environmental challenges in Mokwa and praised Tinubu’s decision to send a top-level delegation to the area.
In his remarks, the Ndalile of Mokwa, Village Head Mohammed Aliyu, expressed gratitude for the relief efforts and urged the federal government to sustain its support for full recovery and rehabilitation.
Crediblenewng.com
