Governor Ahmed Ododo has approved the appointment of Dr Musa Omeiza Muazu as the new Executive Director of Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency.

The approval was contained in a statement issued yesterday in Lokoja by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Folashade Ayoade.

According to the statement, Muazu’s appointment followed the termination of the appointment of the erstwhile executive director, Dr Abubakar Yakubu.

Ayoade added that the appointment was with immediate effect.

MEANWHILE, the governor has charged critical stakeholders in the agriculture sector to ensure that the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) project succeeds in Kogi.

He gave the admonition while flagging off the Private Veterinary Practice Programme (PVP) geared at ensuring the consumption of safe and healthy livestock in the state.

Ododo noted that livestock farming plays a critical role in the strategy adopted by his administration to ensure food security and drive industrialisation in the state.

He pledged his full cooperation with stakeholders in the food value chain to achieve large-scale livestock farming.

“We are prepared to implement the necessary legal and administrative framework, and affirm to eliminate any obstacle that hinders investments in this vital sector,”
The governor said.

He commended the World Bank team for their support, especially in the establishment of the Livestock Service Centre (LSC) in the state, assuring the government’s commitment to taking full advantage of the project for the benefit of the people.

The Task Team Leader of the L-PRES Project, World Bank, Dr Manievel Sene, who led a delegation on the Implementation Support Mission to Kogi, said the execution remained on track.

He urged the State Implementation Committee, as well as the project leadership to ensure that the initiative greatly impacts the lives of the people.

Earlier, the National Project Coordinator, Dr Sanusi Abubakar, said Kogi was taking the lead in the implementation of the L-PRES project nationwide.

While stressing the importance of the PVP, Abubakar described the programme as a calculated attempt to strengthen veterinary practice in Kogi State.

He explained that the involvement of private veterinarians in the L-PRES was because out of the over 11,000 veterinary doctors in Nigeria, only 15 per cent of them work with the government.

On his part, the State Focal Person/Special Adviser on Agriculture, Onoruoyiza Abdulkabir Otaru, lauded the governor for his effort in developing the agriculture sector.

State Project Coordinator, Dr Olufemi Bolarin, also commended the governor for prioritising livestock development in the state.

Chairman of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Kogi chapter, Dr Tolu Omotugba, appreciated the governor for his contribution and support to livestock farming in the state.

He urged the government to domesticate the L-PRES project.