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Nigeria to Benefit from UK’s £210 million Funding to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance

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Nigeria to Benefit from UK’s £210 million Funding to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance

By: Michael Mike

The United Kingdom has announced a funding plan of up to £210 million for the building of state-of-the-art laboratories, cutting-edge disease surveillance systems, and a bigger global workforce to tackle deadly antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Nigeria and countries in Africa and Asia.

A statement on Thursday signed by the Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office/ British High Commission, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe revealed that the funding from the government’s UK aid budget will support the Fleming Fund’s activities to tackle AMR in countries across Asia and Africa over the next three years, helping to reduce the threat it poses to the UK and globally.

According to the statement, the funding would bolster the surveillance capacity in up to 25 countries where the threat and burden of AMR is highest – including Nigeria, Indonesia, Ghana, Kenya, and Papua New Guinea – with more than 250 laboratories set to be upgraded and provided with state-of-the-art equipment.

The statement further revealed that: “This investment includes new genome sequencing technology which will help track bacterial transmission between humans, animals and the environment.
The investment will also strengthen the international health workforce by supporting 20,000 training sessions for laboratory staff, pharmacists and hospital staff, and over 200 Fleming Fund scholarships to boost expertise in microbiology, AMR policy and One Health – which recognises the connection between humans, animals and the environment.”

The UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Steve Barclay was quoted to have said: “Antimicrobial resistance is a silent killer which poses a significant threat to people’s health around the world and here in the UK, and will be an important topic here at the G20 in India.

“It’s vital it is stopped in its tracks and this record funding will allow countries most at risk to tackle it and prevent it from taking more lives across the world, ultimately making us safer at home.

“It also builds on work the government is doing to incentivise drug companies to develop new antibiotics – a model which some G20 countries are looking to implement.”

According to the statement, around 1.27 million people around the world die each year due to antimicrobial resistance – where bacteria have evolved so much that antibiotics and other current treatments are no longer effective against infections – with one in five of those deaths in children under five. In 2019 AMR was found to have caused between 7,000 and 35,000 deaths in the UK alone.

The UK Special Envoy on AMR Dame Sally Davies said: “I am proud and delighted that the UK’s Fleming Fund will continue to create real impact to tackle AMR and build pandemic preparedness on the ground across the world, using data to drive action and catalyse investment.

“This world-leading investment in AMR laboratories, workforce and systems is a vital contribution to realise our vision of a world free of drug-resistant infection.”

The statement said the present investment will deliver the second phase of the UK-Nigeria Fleming Fund partnership.

Nigeria to Benefit from UK’s £210 million Funding to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance

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Gombe ACReSAL distributes clean stoves to communities

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Gombe ACReSAL distributes clean stoves to communities

The Gombe State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project has distributed energy-efficient cooking stoves to communities around the Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe.

The beneficiary communities are those where erosion control projects had earlier been implemented.

Speaking during the distribution exercise on Wednesday in Gombe, the ACReSAL State Project Coordinator, Dr Sani Jauro, said the initiative was part of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.

Jauro explained that the stoves would help reduce dependence on traditional, inefficient cooking methods, which contribute to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

He added that the stoves were designed to use less fuel and emit fewer pollutants, thereby reducing carbon emissions and improving environmental conditions in the affected communities.

According to him, the initiative aligns with the commitment of Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe to tackle deforestation and promote a holistic approach to addressing climate change.

“We have supported each of the nine communities with 100 pieces each and included some poultry houses and fish ponds owners with a total of 975 stoves.

“We are doing this to support the communities around FCE and also sensitise them against tree felling and on climate change issues,” the coordinator said.

Jauro said the tree planting campaign under ACReSAL had recorded great success, with millions of trees planted across the state.

He noted that the distribution of energy-efficient stoves was part of efforts to protect the planted trees and preserve the environment.

He urged residents to support the administration of Gov. Inuwa Yahaya by planting trees during the wet season as part of collective efforts to fight climate change.

According to him, ACReSAL is currently providing free tree seedlings to communities willing to engage in tree planting.

Earlier, the Shamakin Gombe, Alhaji Ibrahim Babayo, commended ACReSAL for the intervention, saying the stoves would benefit residents of the nine target communities and help reduce carbon emissions.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Sa’adatu Nuhu, a resident of Arawa community in Gombe Local Government Area, expressed gratitude for the support.

She said the energy-efficient stove would help her save money and protect her health from the harmful smoke associated with firewood use.

“Many of us are poor and cannot buy this stove, but today here we are being given without paying anything; this will save our money, since it is energy-efficient and saves cost of cooking.

“It will also reduce our reliance on fire-woods and protect our eyes from smokes, which usually, was beginning to pose health risk for us,” she said.

Gombe ACReSAL distributes clean stoves to communities

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Xi Condoles Nigeria on Passing of BuhariSays Buhari’s Death “A Lost of a Dear Friend to Chinese People.”

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Xi Condoles Nigeria on Passing of Buhari
Says Buhari’s Death “A Lost of a Dear Friend to Chinese People.”

By: Michael Mike

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent on a message of condolence to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu over the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Xi in a message on Wednesday on behalf of the Chinese government and people, expressed deep condolences and extended sincere sympathy to the family of Buhari, Nigerian government and people.

He noted that Buhari was an important leader of Nigeria, saying that he dedicated himself to exploring a development path suited to his country’s national conditions, made outstanding contributions to national unity and progress, and was highly respected in the international community.

He also noted that the deceased leader steadfastly upheld friendship with China, actively promoted the Nigeria-China friendship and China-Africa cooperation, adding that his passing represents a tremendous loss to the Nigerian people and the loss of a dear friend to the Chinese people.

He said China highly values the development of its relations with Nigeria and is willing to work with the Nigerian side to consistently move forward the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

Xi Condoles Nigeria on Passing of Buhari
Says Buhari’s Death “A Lost of a Dear Friend to Chinese People.”

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Why I can’t forget former President Buhari – Ex-EFCC Chairman, Farida Waziri

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Why I can’t forget former President Buhari – Ex-EFCC Chairman, Farida Waziri

By: Michael Mike

Former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri has paid glowing tributes to late former President Muhammadu Buhari, expressing why she can never forget the role he played in her life.

According to her, “The passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari has touched the hearts of millions across our nation. It is a solemn reminder that no matter the trials and complexities of life, a man will be remembered, indeed, by the values he steadfastly upheld.

“In President Buhari, Nigeria witnessed a man whose life was shaped by discipline, defined by incorruptibility, and anchored in an unwavering commitment to truth.
From his early days as a military ruler to his democratic tenure as President, his devotion to the fight against corruption remained undimmed. He was resolute in his pursuit of integrity in public service, even when it meant walking a lonely road. His personal conduct spoke louder than rhetoric: he lived modestly, acted justly, and held himself to a higher standard.

“I pay tribute to him not only as a public servant but as one whose principled actions touched my own life. In a system where justice is often elusive, President Buhari stood firm for what was right. It was under his leadership that the injustice done to me, by the denial of my rightful retirement rank as Assistant Inspector General of Police, was rectified. That act alone spoke volumes of his character: he recognised truth, and he acted on it.

“President Buhari may have departed this world, but his legacy of moral strength and relentless anti-corruption crusade will echo through generations. May history remember him kindly—as a soldier, a statesman, and above all, a man of integrity. May his soul find peaceful repose.”

Why I can’t forget former President Buhari – Ex-EFCC Chairman, Farida Waziri

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