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U.S. Delegation Visits Taraba State to Announce New PEPFAR Assistance

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U.S. Delegation Visits Taraba State to Announce New PEPFAR Assistance

U.S. Delegation Visits Taraba State to Announce New PEPFAR Assistance

A U.S. government delegation led by Chargé d’Affaires Kathleen FitzGibbon visited Jalingo in Taraba State as it prepares to re-engage the state with U.S. assistance through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The inter-agency team included the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Mission Director Katie Donohoe, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Country Director Dr. Mary Boyd, U.S. Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) Country Director Dr. Laura Chittenden, and PEPFAR Coordinator Mark Giambrone.  The Director General of Nigeria’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) was part of the joint delegation.

The joint team met Governor Darius Ishaku to initiate the new partnership under the governor’s leadership and the strong support of the State Commissioner of Health Dr. Innocent Vakkai.

The team asked the governor to build on his impressive commitment to the health care system, including prioritizing recruitment of healthcare workers to help sustain the expanded HIV program and other critical public health services. An increased budget allocation and releases of funds for health will ensure that the drive to enroll additional patients on treatment succeeds. 

Also Read: Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development Debunks…

“We look forward to working with Taraba to adopt best practices in client-centered care and improving local capacity to implement high quality services”, CDA FitzGibbon said. “With the state’s commitment to reducing barriers to care, Taraba is well-positioned to achieve HIV epidemic control.”

The team announced the United States will re-initiate HIV/AIDS programming in Taraba on October 1, 2021.  Ranking among the top eight states in Nigeria in terms of HIV burden, Taraba plays a “critical role” in the country’s goal of being free from AIDS by 2023, she said.

The U.S. delegation and NACA briefed stakeholders on the key objectives of the partnership.  Taraba State and USAID, through the Reaching Impact, Saturation, and Epidemic Control (RISE) activity implemented by Jhpiego, presented findings from a joint assessment and priorities for collective action.

The delegation visited the Federal Medical Center in Jalingo, a 320-bed facility that serves as a referral center and offers medical services including those for HIV and tuberculosis (TB).  More than 3,000 HIV-positive patients currently receive lifesaving antiretroviral therapy in the Center.

Finally, Deputy Governor Haruna Manu facilitated a tour of the Taraba State Specialist Hospital to observe ongoing USAID work to support identification and treatment of people living with TB, as well as a state-of-the-art laboratory commissioned last year to diagnose COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

“We look forward to celebrating our collective success when we achieve HIV epidemic control in the State in the coming months and years,” FitzGibbon said.

PEPFAR supports HIV treatment for over 1.5 million Nigerians and is working with state and federal government agencies to build health systems to achieve and sustain control of HIV and AIDS in the country.

U.S. Delegation Visits Taraba State to Announce New PEPFAR Assistance

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Nigeria@65: FG’s programmes improving welfare of Nigerians- NOA

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Nigeria@65: FG’s programmes improving welfare of Nigerians- NOA

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), on Wednesday said that the Federal Government’s programmes and policies under President Bola Tinubu-led administration were improving the welfare of Nigerians.

Mrs Adaline Patari, the State Director of NOA, Gombe State office, stated this shortly after a road show to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day anniversary in Gombe.

Patari said that programmes and policies of Tinubu-led administration had supported many Nigerians from the student’s loan to conditional cash transfer to support to small businesses amongst others.

She stated that the initiatives by the present administration had restored hope and put the country amongst serious countries pursuing better reforms to improve their economy while revamping infrastructure.

According to her, many undergraduates benefitting from the student’s loan scheme which has removed all financial hindrances impeding access to tertiary education now feel a sense of belonging.

She said that the programmes and policies of the Federal Government have benefitted many households and improved their welfare in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.

“The reforms of the Federal Government are working and many persons are proud to be Nigerians and more persons are now trying to do the right things as Nigerians.

“People are beginning to see themselves as proud Nigerians and that confidence of being a Nigerian is being restored.

“Today, many Nigerians are benefitting from the programmes of the current administration, this means that the country is now working for them,” she said.

While acknowledging that there were still challenges that needed to be addressed, Patari said, at 65, we have made tremendous progress especially working together in peace and unity.

She urged Nigerians to continue to support Tinubu administration’s programmes towards building a better country that works for all Nigerians.

The state director said that with the necessary reforms being carried out and already yielding results in the economic, agriculture, security and other sectors, more Nigerians would be prouder to be Nigerians in the future.

“Today, the country is progressing and we are united; we are now prouder to be Nigerians and I can tell you that the labour of our heroes past, indeed is never in vain,” she added.

Commending the contributions of youths to national development, Patari urged them to have a positive mind-set towards Nigeria and to always express optimism of a better Nigeria for everyone.

Patari also lauded the renewed strength with which NOA under the Director General of the agency, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu was being driven.

She said that government’s policies and programmes were getting more supports from Nigerians because of the constant engagements of Nigerians by the NOA nationwide.

The event also featured sensitisation of residents on Federal Government’s policies, programmes and the need for the people to support the current administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda

Nigeria@65: FG’s programmes improving welfare of Nigerians- NOA

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Nigeria, European Union hold inaugural Trade and Investment Dialogue

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Nigeria, European Union hold inaugural Trade and Investment Dialogue

By: Michael Mike

Senior Government officials of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the European Union (EU) have today met in Abuja to assess the vibrant economic partnership between the two parties and chart a way forward.

The inaugural Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Trade and investment Dialogue (TID) was anchored by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, and Director of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security (DG TRADE), Ms Dora Correia,

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot,, welcomed the launch of the Dialogue, which they said underscored the growing importance attached to trade and investment in the EU-Nigeria partnership.

This Senior Officials’ meeting marks an important step in strengthening the trade and investment partnership between the EU and Nigeria, and provided opportunity for the officials to exchange views on areas of mutual interest; address potential challenges and explore opportunities for further collaboration.

Discussions focused on a range of issues, including trade and investment policy, cooperation on market access barriers and requirements, preferential trade and investment arrangements, investment, collaboration within the World Trade Organization (WTO), regulatory measures that could impact trade and investment, and the identification of trade and investment-related development cooperation areas.

Both sides expressed their interest to continue the Dialogue, with the second TID billed to take place in Brussels, Belgium, in 2026, on a date to be jointly decided.

Nigeria, European Union hold inaugural Trade and Investment Dialogue

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FG Declares Wednesday, Oct. 1 Public Holiday to Marks 65th Independence Anniversary

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FG Declares Wednesday, Oct. 1 Public Holiday to Marks 65th Independence Anniversary

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, 1st of October as a public holiday to commemorate Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.

The Honourable Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated all Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora on this historic occasion.

Tunji-Ojo, in a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, enjoined citizens to continue to uphold the patriotic spirit, unity, and resilience that have sustained the nation since independence in 1960.

He urged Nigerians to further keep faith in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which is anchored on national rebirth, economic transformation, and collective prosperity.

The Minister expressed confidence that, with the cooperation of all Nigerians, the country will continue to grow stronger in peace, progress, and development.

He wished Nigerians a happy and memorable 2025 Independence Day celebration.

FG Declares Wednesday, Oct. 1 Public Holiday to Marks 65th Independence Anniversary

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