EU unfolds green economy, capital development plan for Nigeria

Canada supports FG’s biosecurity policy with $8m
The European Union (EU) has unfolded a seven-year green economy and capital development plan for Nigeria.

This was as the Canadian government gave the Federal Government $8 million to strengthen its capacity to prevent, detect and respond to biological threats in the country.

According to EU Programme Manager, Temitayo Omole, the priority areas, announced yesterday at the EU Borno packaging coordination meeting in Maiduguri, are in “agriculture, good governance and migration” across the six geological zones.

“There will be capital development in the education sector,” he added.

Three development partners submitted their sustainability plans and handed over projects to the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (MRRR) for tracking, monitoring and maintenance of completed infrastructural facilities.

Representative of the Commissioner of MRRR, Bitrus Mshelia, therefore, urged other partners to review their sustainability reports before submitting them to the state government.

ACTING Canadian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Kelvin Tokar, who revealed his country’s gesture at the public presentation of the document in Abuja, said both countries have long standing partnership on national and regional biosecurity.

Tokar stated: “Our support includes the construction, operation and maintenance of bio-containment laboratories in Lagos and National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, Plateau State. They have played a role in the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) era.

“Canada is committed to health security capacities and it reflects in the ongoing leadership of Signature Initiative to Mitigate Biological Threats in Africa, to be implemented by the G7-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction.”

While presenting the Action Plan, the Minister of State for Environment, Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor, noted that while developing the policy, interconnections among human, animal, plant and environmental health were considered.