President Bola Tinubu on Monday at the Federal Executive Council meeting approved the appointment of Tony Elumelu as Chairman of the National Disaster Fund.
The fund, which will also attract various public and private sector players, will warehouse the Federal Government emergency response funds for disaster management, in addition to those currently being carried out by the country’s emergency management agencies.
Sources close to the meeting said that President Tinubu was emphatic that the Chairman of Heirs Holdings will head the team that will soon be inaugurated by the President.
Recall that the President had last week, during his visit to Borno State, announced the setting up of funds to help mitigate the effect of natural disasters when they occur.
It was also gathered that the high-level team will also include the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Other members of the team include Ministers of Finance, Information, Water Resources, Works, as well as heads of Disaster Relief Funds.
“The President wants quality representation in the team, he wants a wider reach and high level global players that will help the government mitigate such natural disasters whenever they occur,” it was gathered.
The Minister of Water Resources, Joseph Ustav, while briefing State House Journalists after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, disclosed that the FEC directed the Ministry to work out detailed plans for the commencement of work of the long-abandoned Dasin Hausa dam.
The dam, which will serve as a buffer dam for water from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon, was first conceived in 1980 but was later abandoned.
Utsav also disclosed that the Ministry is expected to submit comprehensive details of an assessment for rehabilitation of all the major dams across the country, following the collapse of a section of the Alau dam in Borno State.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, also revealed that the President has ordered the deployment of food to victims of the recent flood disaster in Borno State.
“He has given me his approval and directive to deliver 6,000 tonnes of assorted food items to the Borno State Government,” the minister said.
The food items include 100 trailers of milled rice, 50 trailers of maize, 30 trailers of sorghum and 20 trailers of millet.
“In addition, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has also made available 2,000 water pumps to assist communities still affected by flooding.
“Furthermore, a committee will be constituted under the National Agricultural Development Fund to assess and provide recommendations for enhancing agricultural activities in the state, ensuring that those whose livelihoods depend on farming receive support in rebuilding their futures,” he added.
