|
BNW |
|
B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
EU pledges N1.83b to tackle child diseases in Nigeria
THE European Union (EU) has expressed its commitment to the eradication of polio and other childhood killer diseases from Nigeria.
Consequently, the organisation is investing about $85 million as immunisation support in the country.
National Team Leader of "European Union Partnership to Re-enforce Immunisation Efficiency", Mr. Gerald Moore, disclosed this at the weekend during a courtesy visit to Plateau State Administrator, Major-General Alli (rtd.) at the Government House, Jos.
Moore explained that out of the amount, Plateau State has been given about $7 million for the exercise.
He pointed out that the objective of the EU support was to increase the number of children vaccinated against the childhood disease from about 70 per cent to 80 per cent by 2007.
Moore, therefore, commended the state government for its assistance towards an effective polio immunisation, while lamenting the upsurge in the incidence of the disease in some parts of the country in the past one year.
In his remarks, Alli commended the union for its support towards eradicating the childhood killer disease and gave assurance that the necessary instruments and enabling environment would be provided to enable the team to successfully carry out the exercise.
He noted that despite the crisis, immunisation officials were asked to carry out their work without interference, appealing to parents to ensure that their wards were immunised against all diseases to promote the economic well being of the society.
In a related development, Alli stressed the need for federal parastatals to be given their statutory allocations promptly.
He stated this when members of the senate committee on Federal Character and Governmental Affairs paid him a courtesy visit at the government house.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. John Gobak, the administrator noted with delight, the departure from the past where allocations to ministries and parastatals were usually released piecemeal.
The administrator reminded the committee members that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the state is living up to expectation in the discharge of its responsibilities.
On the progress of the on-going peace conference, Alli commended members of the National Assembly for the support towards the peace process. He gave assurance that the state government would provide a good working environment for the Federal Character Commission in the state.
Earlier, the senate committee chairman, Senator Ken Nnamani, explained that the nationwide tour by members was to enable them to discover the extent to which the principles of the federal character were being adhered to by states.
He commended the state government for its support to federal establishments, making a special request for the supply of utility vehicles to the FRSC in the state.`
|
|
||||||||||||
