UN emergency relief coordinator, Tom Fletcher, says the organisation has allocated five million dollars from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to minimise the impact of expected floods in Nigeria.

The CERF funding, he explained, was ahead of severe floods forecast in the country, and part of a collective initiative, which complemented a two-million-dollar allocation from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund.

UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, told journalists on Wednesday in New York that the partners supported by the funds would focus on providing food, cash, and shelter support for some 350,000 people in the north-eastern state of Adamawa.

Similarly, Mr Dujarric said the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs had released one million dollars to minimise the impact of expected floods in Burkina Faso, following heavy rains in the country.

“The resources come from the Regional Humanitarian Fund for West and Central Africa, managed by OCHA, and will help two of our local NGO partners provide critical food, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene assistance to 35,000 people in the regions of Centre-Nord and Sahel ahead of the forecasted floods.”

He added it was the first time that funds were released from one of OCHA’s regional funds as part of anticipatory action efforts.

According to him, it reflects close monitoring and cooperation between the UN, partners and the Burkinabe authorities.

(NAN)