President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the release of a total sum of N5,747,694,780 to nine states of the federation for direct disbursement to those who suffered losses of properties, means of livelihood and places of worship in the post election violence of 2011.

Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Dr. Reuben Abati, disclosed this in a statement released this evening in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

President Jonathan had set up a Panel of Enquiry headed by Sheik Ahmed Lemu to among other things, identify the spread and extent of losses suffered across the country following the post-election violence and civil disturbances in some states after the April 2011 elections.

Following the submission of the Lemu Panel’s report and its adoption by the Federal Executive Council, the Federal Ministry of Lands and Housing was mandated to assess the reported losses and damage to properties in all affected states.

According to Abati, based on the Ministry’s report, President Jonathan has approved the release of funds to nine of the 14 affected states as follows:

1.Bauchi - N1,574,879,000.00

2.Sokoto - N55,888,506.00

3.Zamfara - N93,253,485.00

4.Niger - N433,375,875.00

5.Jigawa - N208,667,634.00

6.Katsina - N1,973,209,440.00

7.Kano - N944,827,000.00

8.Adamawa - N420,089,840.00

9.Akwa Ibom - N43,504,000.00

Total - N5,747,694,780.00

Abati said that President Jonathan has also directed that an Implementation Committee for the disbursement of the funds to beneficiaries in the nine states be constituted as follows:

1.Executive Governoror Deputy Governor - Chairman

2.Representative of State Government - Member

3.Secretary of the Sheik Lemu Panel- Member

4.Representative of the OSGF - Member

5.Representative of the FMLH&UD- Member

“Inspection and assessment of damages and losses suffered are yet to be carried out in Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna and Nasarawa states as modalities and further instructions for the exercise are still being expected from the state governments,” the presidential spokesman said.

“Funds to cover the losses sustained by victims of the post election violence in theses five states will be approved and released at the conclusion of the assessment exercise,” he added.

•Photo: President Jonathan.