The Borno State Flood Committee, established under the leadership of Governor Prof. Engr. Babagana Umara Zulum, CON, mni, FNSE, has officially concluded its assignment, marking a critical step in addressing the needs of flood victims across the state.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the committee highlighted several challenges that have hindered the effective distribution of relief funds to affected individuals. These include issues related to bank accounts with limited capacity, incorrect account details, the use of wallet accounts (such as OPAY and MONIEPOINT), and proxy accounts.
To address these issues, the committee has urged all flood victims with legitimate concerns to visit their respective banks to upgrade their accounts. Those using wallet accounts have been advised to open conventional bank accounts to facilitate smooth transactions.
The committee has also provided a two-day window, from January 2 to January 3, 2025, for individuals to correct or upgrade their account details.
Starting from Saturday, January 4, 2025, a dedicated team will contact affected individuals via phone calls to verify their account statuses.
Eligibility Requirements for Future Disbursements
The statement further emphasized that individuals who previously benefited from food and non-food items through fraudulent means would not be eligible for future disbursements.
The committee also advised those who used proxy accounts to verify the integrity of the account holders, as some funds have already been reimbursed to the respective account holders.
The Flood Committee worked closely with several agencies, including the Borno State Social Investment Management Programme, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Borno State Agency for Coordination of Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Response, and the Borno Geographic Information Services (BOGIS). These agencies have been tasked with addressing complaints and concerns from flood victims moving forward.
The announcement reflects the state government’s commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in the distribution of relief funds. It also underscores the importance of adhering to proper procedures to ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most.
Flood victims are encouraged to comply with the outlined directives to facilitate the resolution of outstanding issues and ensure a seamless disbursement process.
