Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society has expressed its sincere sympathies to the flood victims of Borno State in view of the terrible floods that have uprooted hundreds of families and destroyed homes and livelihoods.
According to a statement from Hajia Rafat Salami, the society’s communication officer, it understands the urgent need to offer aid and relief.
She states, “According to the Premium Times report as of today, 20th September 2024, the Borno State Government says for the past two weeks of this unfortunate situation, the Federal Government and other concerned stakeholders, generous individuals and organisations have made pledges, donations, and contributed funds worth twelve billion Naira (N12, 000,000,000), including (in addition, non-cash donations of relief materials such as food, medical, and other essential items) aimed at providing much-needed support for the flood victims.
However, we, as a Faith-Based Organisation (FBO), wish to emphasise the importance of accountability, transparency, and effective disbursement of these funds to ensure that the victims receive adequate and prompt assistance. This becomes necessary due to historical evidence of how some dubious individuals deliberately mismanage funds meant to take care of situations like this in the past, and therefore the same scenario should be avoided by His Excellency. Prof. Babagana Umar Zulum’s led government.
In view of the above, Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society calls for the following:
1. Swift Action: We urge the state Government, all relevant authorities and stakeholders to expedite the process of releasing and disbursing the funds raised to meet the urgent needs of the displaced and affected families.
2. Transparency and Accountability: The funds must be managed with the highest level of transparency and accountability to ensure that every contribution is used efficiently to address the immediate relief efforts, including food, shelter, and medical support for the victims. We advise the state government to carry along the private/NGO, the Nigerian military, and other relevant stakeholders in the disbursement of the funds and other non-cash relief items.
3. Collaboration: We encourage further collaboration between government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and community leaders to coordinate a holistic approach to flood relief. This includes assessing the long-term recovery needs of the affected communities and planning sustainable rebuilding efforts.
4. The state government should set up an independent committee for damages, evaluation, and rebuilding. This includes assessing the devastated infrastructure and long-term recovery needs of the affected communities and planning sustainable rebuilding efforts.
5. It is important to also investigate the factors that led to this historical ugly situation because we suspect that the situation might have been avoided by those who are in charge of our dams.
We sincerely want to thank and appreciate Governor Babagana Zulum for his Resilient and unwavering leadership, and determination.
Al-Habibiyyah extends heartfelt gratitude to all those who have generously contributed to this cause. Your donations are a testament to the spirit of compassion and solidarity within our community. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected.
As an organisation dedicated to serving humanity, we remain committed to standing by the people of Borno during this challenging time. We pledge our continued support and urge all concerned parties to act swiftly and compassionately in delivering relief to those in need
