The United States of America through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing $1million in instantaneous humanitarian service to fund the people affected by phenomenal flooding in Nigeria.
This was revealed in a statement published on Thursday by the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Abuja, which conveyed concerns that the unusually heavy downpour that resulted in flooding has affected nearly 2.8 million people across the country.
The statement noted that the $1million in new USAID support will allow local partners on the ground to provide emergency shelter assistance, relief commodities, and hygiene kits to promote safe and healthy practices amid the ongoing cholera outbreak, and multipurpose cash assistance for people impacted by the devastating floods.
Reacting to the disaster, US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said: “we are filled with grief for the flood victims who have lost so much – livelihoods, homes, and even loved ones.”
Ambassador Leonard added that “the United States continues to stand with the people of Nigeria during this extremely difficult time.”
The floods have exacerbated an already critical humanitarian situation in Nigeria, where ongoing conflict, especially in the northern region, has driven millions of people from their homes. In the same region, more than 4 million people are projected to continue experiencing acute food insecurity amid the worsening global food crisis.