First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has announced a N500 million relief package for business owners and women’s groups affected by the August 22 fire at the SPAR shopping mall in Calabar, Cross River State.
Tinubu announced the intervention on Friday during the South-South zonal launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme in Calabar.
She said President Bola Tinubu had approved N25 million each for 18 business owners whose businesses were affected by the inferno.
The allocation amounts to N450 million and is intended to help the entrepreneurs recover from the losses suffered in the fire.
“Mr. President commiserates with the government and people of Cross River over this unfortunate incident that destroyed many businesses and livelihoods,” she said.
The First Lady said the presidential intervention would provide immediate support and assist the affected business owners in rebuilding their livelihoods.
The August 22 fire destroyed sections of the SPAR shopping mall, affecting several businesses and large quantities of goods. A pharmacy, electronics store, clothing outlet, perfumery and phone shop were among the businesses reportedly affected.
Following the incident, emergency agencies began documenting the losses suffered by traders and business owners as authorities moved to assess the extent of the destruction.
The cause of the fire has not been conclusively established. Police had said an electrical fault was suspected, while investigations continued.
In addition to the N450 million approved for the 18 business owners, Tinubu announced N50 million for women’s groups in Cross River.
The two interventions bring the announced relief package to N500 million.
Tinubu said the N50 million was presented to the wife of the Cross River State Governor, Bishop Eyoanwan Otu.
She also announced N15 million for women who welcomed her during her visit to the state. The N15 million is separate from the N500 million relief package for the fire victims.
The announcement came as the Federal Government rolled out the South-South phase of its National Community Food Bank Programme.
The initiative covers Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers states, with children under six, pregnant women and lactating mothers among its key targets.
Three community food banks were launched across Cross River’s three senatorial districts as part of the rollout.
The programme is designed to provide nutritional support to vulnerable households while addressing food insecurity and malnutrition.
The First Lady urged state governments to adopt and expand the food-bank model to reach more vulnerable Nigerians.
The Federal Government has described the initiative as a deliberate and sustainable intervention aimed at improving nutrition and strengthening food security.
For the affected Calabar entrepreneurs, however, the immediate focus remains recovery.
The presidential intervention is expected to provide some relief to businesses that lost goods, equipment and working capital in the fire.
The effectiveness of the intervention will ultimately depend on how quickly the approved funds are disbursed and whether additional measures are put in place to help affected businesses return to normal operations.
