- Meets Governor Caleb Mutfwang, advocacy groups working to boost peace and prosperity in the State
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, ended a three-day visit tod Jos, Plateau State on Wednesday, holding high-level discussions with the State Governor, key Civil Society groups, and research institutions.
During the three-day visit, the High Commissioner visited the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang on ways to unite all communities in the State irrespective of their ethnic or religious affiliations.
The High Commissioner also visited the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation that is working to promote justice and peaceful co-existence through value-based leadership development and providing opportunities for vulnerable communities affected by conflict. In 2022, the UK-funded Deep Dives Peace Project contributed to the signing of the Bassa Peace Accord of 14 July, 2022.
According to a statement by Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer of the British High Commission, “in Jos, High Commissioner visited the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), a longstanding partner with the UK over the last 10 years.
“With UK support, under the Propcom Mai-Karfi programme, NVRI increased production and sales of poultry vaccines from 200,000 to 12.6 million annually. The collaboration also developed the Digitalisation of Veterinary Extension Services, VetWiz app, in nine states in Nigeria. He also called on the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to meet their faculty and fellows.”
The Deep Dives Peace Dialogue was a project carried out with the aim of contributing to the search for sustainable peace and security in Plateau State. The project covered Six Local Government Areas namely: Jos North, Jos East, Jos South, Bassa, Riyom and Barkin Ladi.
NVRI have been a longstanding partner with the UK over the last 10 years, previously through the Propcom Mai-Karfi, and now through Propcom+. Propcom Mai-Karfi partnered with NVRI over the last ten years to increase the supply and distribution of poultry vaccines. With PM support, NVRI aligned their resources to market demand, by first repositioning their outstations as vaccine supply and animal health extension hubs, developing commercial channels for their vaccines, and improving the utilisation of their vaccina production units.
At the end of the visit, the British High Commissioner, Montgomery, said: “Visiting Jos was a great opportunity to engage and interact with relevant stakeholders. I learnt about the efforts being made by the state government and civil society groups in promoting peace and harmony in the state. I was also pleased to visit our longstanding partner, National Veterinary Research Institute, who are contributing immensely to disease surveillance and control through the production and distribution of high-quality vaccines. We very much want to grow our partnerships – both with the Plateau State Government and the people.”
