NIGERIA`S FLOOD RELIEF COMMITTEE RAISES 12 BILLION NAIRA

The Presidential Committee on Flood Relief co-chaired by Business magnate, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the former National President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba last night, (Thursday) raised about =N=12 billion at the formal flag off of its fund raising job.

The fund raising dinner held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidentail Villa, Abuja.  

 At the event, President Goodluck Jonathan  announced tax incentives for all corporate organisations that donate into the flood relief fund to alleviate the sufferings of displaced flood victims.
The president also used the opportunity to launch the website for the fund-www.nigeriafloodrelief.org

The 34-man committee had set N100 billion as its ultimate target.

Both Mr Dangote and the Federal Government donated the sum of N2.5 billion each, making both the highest donors at the event held at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja.
Alhaji promised that the funds realised will not be used for administrative duties for his committee`s secretariat. 
While donating a hundred and fifty million naira for running of the secretariat, Dangote urged all telecommunication firms in Nigeria to donate one naira form charges on each sms in the country in aid of the flood victims.
Also at the event, the Ministers of Communication Technology and Petroleum promised to mobilise the IOCs, telecommunications companies and others for the national assicgment.
President  Jonathan set up the Committee early last month to augument the ongoing effort to ameliorate the sufferings of flood victims.