SPDC Donates $1m To Flood Relief Fund

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has donated the sum of $1million 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.

A statement signed yesterday by Shell’s Corporate Media Relations Manager, Tony Okonedo, said the support will be enhanced by funds collected through an ongoing employee donation programme, in which the company will match contributions by its staff.

He quoted SPDC’s Managing Director and Country Chair for Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mutiu Sunmonu as saying: “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 am also happy that staff are voluntarily contributing to the employee donation programme we launched for the flood victims.”

According to him, 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.

He added that 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.”

The Tide learnt that prior to the Red Cross support initiative; SPDC had complemented the work of the authorities by providing helicopter flights, geomantic expertise, satellite imagery and maps of affected areas to aid proper relief operations planning and execution.