FG’s N17.6B Flood Relief Fund Won’t Meet Needs Of Victims – Ex-lawmaker

Former member of House of Representatives for Anambra East and West Constituency, Chief Ralph Okeke, Friday, faulted the Federal Government’s decision to channel the N17.6 billion flood disaster relief fund through the governments of the affected states, saying, government bureaucracy would eventually reduce the fund by 50 percent before it gets down to the victims. He told newsmen in Enugu that President Goodluck Jonathan’s quick response by mapping out fund to assist the flood victims in 35 states was quite commendable but expressed the fears that the suffering victims of the natural disaster now in various refugee camps might not get the benefit for which the fund was intended. “My problem is the channel through which this assistance will get to the victims. Sending the fund through so many Ministries, Agencies, Departments and a Presidential Committee will eventually reduce the fund to about 50 percent before the assistance arrives its destinations not because anybody is a thief but because of government bureaucracy. “Again, the way Mr. President is talking about sending assistance through the Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Works, NEMA, etc, shows that the government does not know exactly what these flood victims, who are mostly farmers want. “I am seeing this total sum of N17.6 billion being wasted on things that the direct victims will not need and appreciate, and the result is that we shall keep hearing of billions and more billions but in the end nobody will see anything and therefore no assistance as usual,” said Okeke, who was also Chairman of Anambra West local government area.