Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote and a lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba, on Thursday realised about N12 billion in the first round of its fund raising for victims of flood across the country.
The amount was realised at a fund raising dinner presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.
The 34-man committee had set N100 billion as its ultimate target.
Top on the list of donors at the event were Dangote and the Federal Government, who donated N2.5 billion each.
Dangote, however, said from his N2.5 billion, N200 million had earlier been given to the Kogi State Government and N150 million for the running of the secretariat of the committee.
Chief Arthur Eze, Tony Elumelu and Jim Ovia donated N1 million each while the Chief Fund Raiser, Chief Mike Adenuga, donated N500 million.
Anambra State Governor. Peter Obi also announced a donation of N1.8 billion on behalf of the state governors at the rate of N15 million each.
Others who made donations were construction giants, Julius Berger, Setraco, Dantata and Sawoe, RCC and other corporate organisations and spirited individuals.
Flagging off the event, President Jonathan appealed to Nigerians and the international community to donate generously to the cause.
He recalled the ordeal of the victims during his tour of the affected states as “tragedy that will melt the hardest of hearts.’’
He said although the cause of the flood was still being assessed, the government had taken some measures through the release of funds and relief materials.
Jonathan said the sum of N9.7 billion had been released to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the provision of food and seedlings, while N2.5 billion was released to the Ministry of Health for disease control.
In an address, Dangote also urged Nigerians to donate generously to assist the victims.
He said the damage caused by the devastating flood had overstressed the capacity of government, which necessitated its search for assistance from public-spirited people.
The business mogul assured that whatever sum was raised would be spent judiciously on the victims.
He said the committee would not touch a dime from the fund, as he had already made N150 million available for the running of its secretariat.
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