By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Sadiya Umar Farouq, yesterday denied claims that the United States donated $1 million support to Nigeria for flood victims through the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID).

Speaking at the 56th session of the State House briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team, at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja, the Minister said she did not know where the information was coming from as no such money has come to her ministry.

“We have not received One Dollar as a ministry from any organization. I am not aware of this and it has not come to me officially,” she said.

Recall that recently, the US. Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard had announced the $1 million donation to assist the flood victims in Nigeria.

Leonard, regretted the unusually heavy rainfall and resulting flooding that has affected nearly 2.8 million people across the country, with many homes being damaged or completely destroyed, displacing millions of people.

“We are filled with grief for the flood victims who have lost so much – livelihoods, homes, and even loved ones,” said Leonard.

“The United States continues to stand with the people of Nigeria during this extremely difficult time.”

The US said the donation provided through the USAID will allow local partners on the ground to provide emergency shelter assistance, relief commodities, and hygiene kits to promote safe and healthy practices, adding that it would also curb cholera outbreak and multipurpose cash assistance for people impacted by the devastating floods.”

The Humanitarian minister explained that relief materials has also been sent to Bayelsa State, adding the State which is reeling under floods is not among the ten most hit states by the flood.

Mrs Farouk said Jigawa State which recorded the highest number of death and number one of the states affected by the disaster.

The Minister also said her ministry was not aware of any $1 million donation or pledge from the United States as humanitarian aid for flood victims in Nigeria.

She disclosed that the government has erected 44 temporary shelters in 22 states that were affected by the flood disaster and even evacuated those living within the areas that are prone to flood, adding that those who refused to heed the early warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, were more hit in the devastation.

Reacting to the claim recently made by the Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs was ‘not humane over the treatment of areas hit by floods in Bayelsa and other parts of the South’, but she said it is Jigawa that is the most affected by the current floods.

“We have a humanitarian minister that is not humane, who was only active to carryout school feeding of school children who were confined to their homes during the Covid-“

In such an urgent situation of ravaging flood, she has decided to maintain a disquieting quietness. Bodies like the National Emergency Agency (NEMA), were not able to take proactive measures. Where is the mother of the nation, the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari? Her fellow women are in deep agony, seeing their children dying of starvation and treatable minor illnesses, because there is no medication,” Clark had said.

However, in her response, Mrs Farouk said the Ministry had taken relief materials to Bayelsa through the Nigerian Air Force.

The minister acknowledged that the entire Bayelsa state was affected, “It will also interest you to know that Bayelsa is not even amongst the 10 most hit. I think Jigawa is number one and we have taken intervention to Bayelsa and it’s still ongoing and we’re using the Nigerian Air Force to access the inaccessible areas.

“These are natural disasters, we just hope and pray that we don’t see that again. It is a global phenomenon and the government is up and doing in this regard.”

On the allegation that she was not humane, she said it was not true, noting that the flood disaster is a national issue and she is performing her duty to the best of her ability.

According to her, “Merely looking at me, you know that I am humane.”

“Let me use this opportunity to extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Lives have been lost, very unfortunate. There were early warnings and hence, early actions by all; the national sub nationals and even individuals that were prone to this disaster.

“We have erected temporary shelters, about 44 of them in 22 states, some people moved to those shelters, while others did not, very unfortunate and I think at this point, I quite agree that there should be enforcement going forward.

We’ve mentioned 12,000 metric tons that was given to us by Ministry of Agriculture, but that is in addition to other interventions, it’s not just the 12,000 metric tons. If you look at it, I didn’t mention rice and other food items and even non food items that we have provided. So it’s not just the 12,000 metric tons that was provided’”

The Minister said that there was a donation of N1.5 billion worth of food stuff by the Dangote-led Flood Committee through the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to be distributed to the affected persons.

She denied the allegation that relief materials meant for the downtrodden to ameliorate the effect of the COVID-19 were looted and diverted and later discovered in personal warehouses.

Asked how much was needed to provide succor to those affected in the flood disaster and how to determine the real persons affected, the minister said, “How much we will need, that will also be after the assessment, I cannot really say how much federal government… and the people.

 “The real people that are affected are going to be the real people that will be provided the support because we have on the spot assessment. We are working with the local authorities, with the affected communities to gather this data of the affected persons. So I want to believe, I’m optimistic that these targeted beneficiaries will be the ones that will be given these interventions.”

Fielding question on whether the government has any plan to enforce evacuation order from NIMET, she said, “Yes, enforcement is very key and I think going forward that is what should be done so that it shouldn’t be a matter of choice for one to be evacuated. It shouldn’t be, really, because we are talking about human lives here. That will have to be done.

“We have, as I mentioned, evacuated those that agreed to be evacuated. Some people feel these are their ancestral places and so they do not want to leave, or they will not leave and then they face the consequences, but we hope that next time people will heed these early warnings and then will heed to the evacuation programme.”

Asked how many states affected by the flood she has visited, she said, “We are in all the states. Myself, I’ve not been to all the states and you mentioned this issue of the Humanitarian Minister not being humane, this is a natural issue that we are facing and I think, with every sense of responsibility, I’m carrying out my duties to the best of my abilities, the best I can in service to this nation and in service to humanity”

She also affirmed that farmers who lost farmlands as a result of the floods will get compensation from the federal government at the end of a comprehensive impact assessment by the National Food Security Council, to ensure food security in the country next year.

According to her, “You may recall that we have a Presidential Committee on Food Security. Now, we are doing the assessments of those farmlands that are destroyed and we’ll submit our report to the food security council, which is being chaired by His Excellency, Mr. President, and the vice chair is His Excellency, the Governor of Kebbi State.

“Once that is done, we’ll know the next step to take, but definitely, farmers will be compensated and that lost means of livelihoods is also to be compensated accordingly. We the intervention we hope is coming very soon, the dry season farming is going to cushion that and very optimistic about that. We don’t hope for food shortage.”