Flood: SPDC donates $1 m to relief fund

THE Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) has donated the sum of one million dollars towards relief efforts in support of flood displaced persons in 24 states across the country. The cash donation is part of the Company's collaboration and support programme to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, in conjunction with the Nigerian Red Cross Society, towards effective post flood disaster relief operations in the country.  The support will be enhanced by funds collected through an ongoing employee donation programme, in which the Company will match contributions by its staff.

Mutiu Sunmonu, SPDC's Managing Director and Country Chair for Shell Companies in Nigeria said: "We are deeply touched by the stories and images of the hardship the floods have brought upon our brothers and sisters in many parts of the country and our thoughts and prayers are with all affected persons at this most difficult time.  I'm also happy that our staff are voluntarily contributing to the employee donation programme we launched for the flood victims."

The planned support operations with the Red Cross will cover areas including relief management, camp coordination and management, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, healthcare (especially maternal and child health), emergency shelter, livelihood support and early recovery, family reunification, psychosocial support and risk reduction. These will form part of the immediate and medium term activities to be embarked upon in order to ease the hardship suffered by the flood affected persons and manage their return to normal life.

Commenting on the support from SPDC, Secretary-General of the Nigerian Red Cross, Bello Hamman Diram said: "The Nigerian Red Cross Society welcomes the response and cooperation from Shell to our plan of action for the 2012 floods operation.

It will certainly go a long way towards helping us meet our obligations to affected persons, volunteers and our staff, as well as to respond quickly and adequately to this emergency. We enjoin other well meaning individuals and corporate bodies to do likewise."