Firm restates food security as priority, donates to flood victims

[FILES] Commuters travel in boats as vehicles are abandoned on the East-West highway severed by flooding, bringing to a halt the traffic and economic activities, in Niger delta region of Ahoada, Rivers State, southern Nigeria, on October 21, 2022. – More than 600 people are now known to have perished in the worst floods in a decade in Nigeria, according to a new toll released on October 20. The disaster had also forced more than 1.3 million from their homes, said a statement by Nigeria’s ministry of humanitarian affairs, released on Twitter. (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP)

President and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric (GE) Nigeria, Mohammed Mijindadi, has said that addressing the critical food and health concerns resulting from flood remains the firm’s top priority.

He stated this when General Electric Foundation donated $100,000 to provide immediate relief to communities affected by floods in Kogi.

The firm said the donation was presented to an international humanitarian agency, CARE Nigeria, to support local emergency response authorities and volunteers in the state.

“I think, specifically, in Kogi State, this grant will help alleviate the hardships that many families have to endure, especially as we go into the holiday season,” he said.

The Country Director of CARE Nigeria, Hussaini Abdu, said the donation would be used to distribute relief materials and also used to sensitise affected persons to the dangers of floods, adding: “We are honoured to receive this grant from the GE Foundation, which will help us distribute the most important basic needs to affected Nigerians, as well as conduct a public hygiene campaign to help stem the risk of Cholera, COVID-19 and other public health threats.”

According to Vice President, GE, Linda Boff, the donation will specifically help address the immediate food security and hygiene needs of 800 households, including up to 2,500 individuals. She said: “In addition to the organisation’s donation, GE employees can support relief efforts through its matching gifts programme.

“We are proud to work with our humanitarian relief partner, CARE, to help Nigerian families recover from the devastating flooding.”