The Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) says at least 21,000 people will benefit from the ECOWAS stabilisation funds for flood victims in the six most affected states.

Abubakar Kende, the secretary general of NRCS, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during an inception meeting of the ECOWAS humanitarian support for people affected by floods in Adamawa, Anambra, Oyo, Kebbi, Kogi and Rivers states.

The meeting, themed “Building Stronger and Resilient Families in Nigeria”, was organised in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

During the meeting, ECOWAS presented the Red Cross with a cheque for $906,200 to help it effectively implement its stabilisation programme.

Mr Kende, represented by the NRCS director of disaster management, Benson Agbo, said the stabilisation funds would be used to help flood victims.

“In our effort to alleviate the sufferings of the vulnerable in Nigeria, we have signed a tripartite agreement with the ECOWAS and the humanitarian ministry.

“The agreement aimed to support communities affected by flood disasters in Adamawa, Anambra, Oyo, Kebbi, Kogi, and Rivers states.

“We are ready to go to these selected communities to deliver essential humanitarian aid to 21,000 individuals in 3,500 Households across these six states that are worst hit,’’ he said.

Mr Kende appealed to stakeholders to provide the necessary support to the victims to boost their socio-economic well-being.

For his part, Guy Adoua, the deputy country director of WFP in Nigeria, said the programme had built an enduring structure critical to delivering food and nutrition to vulnerable people.

“ WFP will provide multi-dimensional assistance to 14,394 persons in Katsina and Sokoto states using the ECOWAS funds,’’ Mr Adoua said.

He said this would include food and nutrition support, building capacity for state systems, and psycho-social support to promote social cohesion and peace for six months.

Earlier, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Fatou Sarr, said ECOWAS will continue to support member states towards improving the livelihood of their citizens.

Mr Sarr used the event to present a $1 million cheque to the WFP to ensure the effective implementation of the ECOWAS stabilisation programme to persons of concern by providing food and nutrition, especially to victims of violence in Nigeria.

Also speaking, Valentine Ezulu, the director of humanitarian affairs in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, assured stakeholders of the federal government`s determination to provide mechanisms for mitigating the impact of floods and their consequences.

(NAN)