Nwifuru Seeks Federal Natural Disaster Fund For Ebonyi, Highlights Environmental Challenges
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has appealed to the Federal Government to provide a dedicated Natural Disaster Fund to the state to help mitigate the increasing impact of natural disasters on its people and infrastructure.
Governor Nwifuru made the appeal on Sunday when he received members of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), who are in the state for the 2026 National Data Verification Exercise.
He explained that Ebonyi State had recently experienced several natural disasters that have placed significant financial pressure on the government, particularly in the reconstruction of public infrastructure.
“A lot of disasters have happened in this city. Wind and thunderstorms unroofed almost all the buildings inside this Government House. The natural disaster is costing us huge resources to rebuild,” the governor said.
He also raised concerns about the environmental impact of mining activities, noting that abandoned mining pits pose serious hazards to communities. According to him, the state continues to bear the burden of environmental remediation without benefiting directly from mining operations, as mining licences are issued by the Federal Government.
“This is why we are asking for the Natural Disaster Fund,” he added.
Governor Nwifuru expressed optimism that the ongoing nationwide revenue data verification exercise would enhance fairness and improve revenue allocation to states. He stressed the importance of accurate and updated data in national planning and fiscal distribution.
“Poor data collection inadvertently yields errors which, if relied upon, can be misleading. It will make sense if the collected data are updated and analysed to reflect current realities,” he said, while commending the RMAFC team for its competence and professionalism.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Commissioner representing Ebonyi State in RMAFC, Dr. Henry Awuregu, said the visit was part of the Commission’s ongoing National Data Verification Exercise aimed at ensuring fairness in revenue allocation.
He explained that the revenue-sharing formula is based on indices designed to promote equity and justice across the federation, but noted that changing socioeconomic realities necessitate periodic updates of data.
“Over time, socioeconomic realities evolve: population dynamics change, infrastructure expands, developmental gaps shift, and new challenges emerge. It therefore becomes imperative that the data underpinning these indices are periodically verified and updated to reflect present-day realities,” he said.
Dr. Awuregu added that the exercise was crucial to validating the integrity and accuracy of data used in determining revenue distribution across Nigeria.
The visit underscores ongoing efforts by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to improve data accuracy and ensure equitable allocation of national resources.
