The Kano State Government on Friday said it has established an Emergency Preparedness Response Fund to provide immediate assistance to victims of disasters in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Special Duties, Idris Dambazau, made this known in an interview in Kano.

Mr. Dambazau said the establishment of the fund was informed by the determination of the state government to ensure that the State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency, SARERA, responded speedily to disasters.

He said that the fund would be managed by SARERA which would provide immediate assistance to disaster victims without necessarily referring to the state government.

He, however, said that when additional funds were required, the agency could make request for it.

He explained that the response fund had placed SASERA in a position to respond swiftly to emergencies around the state, assuring that the government would continue to support the agency to discharge its duties effectively.

On the recent flood disaster in the state, the commissioner said the agency had visited the affected local government areas and had identified some of the victims.

“Some of the affected persons have been provided with relief materials while efforts are being made to provide for others,” he said.

Eight local government areas in the state were affected by the August 1 flood.

The areas are Kano Municipal, Dala, Gwale, Wudil, Fagge, Nasarawa, Tarauni and Dawakin-Tofa.

(NAN)