The Federal Government said it will provide N3 billion support to all states to mitigate the impact of the recent flood disaster.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) recently disclosed that about16,000 hectares of farmlands in 27 states had been destroyed by recent flooding in the country, with most of the states affected around the food belt of the nation, in the North central and Northwest regions of the country.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday after inspecting flood-affected areas in Kebbi.
He said the support from the government will put many states like Kebbi in a good position to be able to prepare their farmers for the dry season farming, which the government hopes will be successful, well planned and well implemented.
Edun further noted that the initiative will lead to success by ensuring food availability at reasonably affordable prices, which would help lower inflation and further stabilise the economy.
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, lamented that the flooding had affected many local governments, but commended the people of Kebbi for their resilience and determination, assuring that they would be mobilised to achieve better results during the upcoming dry season farming.
He said in addition to the N3 billion, the federal government had approved a Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund, which would be used to finance, among other projects, the Badagry – Sokoto road.
Governor Nasir Idris appealed to the federal government for assistance, highlighting that many rice farmlands in the state, including Wacot Rice Mill and Matan Fada in Argungu, had been submerged by flooding.
