The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency has launched a cash-for-rent support program for 102 households displaced by the recent flood in Potiskum town.
According to the Executive Secretary of YOSEMA, Dr. Mohammad Goje, in a statement on Monday, the financial assistance will enable the affected families to secure safe and dignified shelter in their communities for two months.
The flood, triggered by heavy downpour on Saturday, resulted in one death while several houses were destroyed or submerged in Potiskum.
Sabon Gari Primary School serves as a temporary shelter for displaced families, comprising about 600 people, after their homes were destroyed by the flood.
YOSEMA said it has linked the families with local agents to access accommodation.
In addition to the cash-for-rent support, the agency will provide free meals, blankets, mats, soaps, buckets, kettles, mosquito nets, and detergents to cushion the effects of their losses.
YOSEMA said validation was ongoing for registered individuals.
The Executive Secretary also noted the support of the World Health Organisation, National Emergency Management Agency, Centre for Civilians in Conflict, International Organisation for Migration, International Committee of the Red Cross, North East Development Commission and security agencies.
Meanwhile, the YOSEMA has begun distribution of cash support to 111 disaster-affected individuals in the Jakusko Local Government Area today.
Goje said the intervention follows assessments, validation, and profiling of needs in Garin Maji, Saminaka, and Amshi communities, which were impacted by windstorms and farmer-herder clashes.
He said, “This support is part of the government’s commitment to humanitarian relief, transparency, and peace building in disaster-prone communities.
“Governor Mai Mala Buni has directed SEMA to adopt a proactive approach, intensifying dissemination of early warning systems, promoting preventive measures, and strengthening community coping mechanisms to mitigate future risks,” Goje said.
