Nigeria’s Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo (photo), has on Wednesday, ordered the immediate release of N1.6bn ($4.6 million) to support states affected by flood in the country, according to Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.

The states include Ekiti, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia, Oyo, Lagos, Plateau, Sokoto, Edo, and Bayelsa.

The directive was issued to the Ministry of Finance after the Federal Executive Council in Abuja.

According to Adesina, the fund would be provided from the Federal Government’s Ecological Account in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun was directed to release the money direct to the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA for onward distribution to the affected states,” he noted adding that the Presidential Relief Committee was also mandated to provide further support to the affected States.

The Special adviser noted that Niger and Lagos states were the most affected, following heavy rainfall leading to several deaths during the weekend.

Let’s recall that the World Bank last month earmarked $100.2 million for a drainage project to tackle flood in Akwa Ibom.

Anita Fatunji