Red Cross raises N440m for flood victims

Category: News Published on Thursday, 17 January 2013 06:00 Written by Abdulkadir Badsha Mukhtar, with agency report

The Nigerian Red Cross Society says it had received N439. 9 million from appeals made for flood victims across the country.

Head of the Emergency Operations, Disaster and Crisis Management of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Mr Steve McAndrew, said the amount was part of the N583.7 million appeal funds.

McAndrew disclosed this yesterday in Abuja.

He commended efforts made by some donor agencies in response to appeal for assistance to ameliorate the sufferings of the victims.

He listed some organizations that responded to include Shell, Exxon Mobil, First City Monument Bank PLC, Stanbic IBTC, the French Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria LNG Ltd. and Czech government.

Others include WHO Voluntary Emergency Relief, as well as the Red Cross Movement partners such as the American Red Cross and the Canadian Red Cross Society.

The donors also included the Japanese Red Cross Society, Netherlands Red Cross, Swiss Red Cross, Red Cross of Monaco, Swedish Red Cross and Finnish Red Cross.

McAndrew, however, said that the amount collected was still a far cry from the needs of the victims.

He said that a post assessment carried out by the Red Cross showed that the victims were in dire need of assistance.

Nwakpa Nwakpa, the Head of Communications, Nigerian Red Cross Society, also urged for more funding for victims of the floods.

Nwakpa, who gave a breakdown of the assessment carried out by the organisation, said that 11 states were in dire need of assistance.

He said that 422,691 people were affected by flooding in 56 local government areas, leaving 256,767 displaced.

Nwakpa said that 224,161 internally displaced persons were residing in 161 camps, adding that not less than 116 persons lost their lives to the disaster.

He further said that 867 persons were injured, and two people were declared missing.

“More than 26,800 houses were destroyed in Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Niger Edo, Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states.

“The Nigeria Red Cross Society will spend the money to specifically support over 50,000 victims in 12 states over a 12-month period up to Sept. 25,’’ he said.