By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The British High Commissioner Dr. Richard Montgomery, has expressed the commitment of British authority to support local effort in promoting peace in Plateau State.
Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, British High Commission, Abuja, Ms. Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, in a statement said, that Dr. Montgomery visited Jos, Plateau State, between the 25th and 27th of March for high-level discussions with the state governor, key civil society groups, and research institutions.
During the three-day visit, she said, the High Commissioner visited the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, adding that they discussed efforts 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, she said, the UK-funded Deep Dives Peace Project contributed to the signing of the Bassa Peace Accord of 14 July, 2022.
The statement noted that while 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, Ms. Akande-Alegbe, 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.
The High Commissioner, also called on the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to meet their faculty and fellows.
At the end of the visit, the British High Commissioner, Dr. Richard Montgomery, said that 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,” the British diplomat concluded.
