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Tag: Entwistle

  • USAID, UN to assist IDPs with $10.5m grants

    USAID, UN to assist IDPs with $10.5m grants

    United States government has announced $10.5 million grants for people displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

    The U.S humanitarian assistance since the start of the crisis has risen to $44 million.

    The country Ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Entwistle, announce the release of the grants on behalf U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) in humanitarian assistance for internally displaced populations.

    The grants will support the activities of the United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO) to improve access to health care services for affected populations in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.

    USAID Mission Director, Michael T. Harvey, signed the document releasing the grant with the three UN agencies in the presence of Entwisle and the governors of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States.

    According to a statement issued by the U.S embassy and made available to Diplomatic Correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, the envoy said, “As we look forward to Nigeria’s success, the United States remains committed to extending our partnership to support the Nigerian people’s vision to accelerate this country’s economic and social development.”

  • Exercise your right to vote, United States envoy tells Nigerians

    Exercise your right to vote, United States envoy tells Nigerians

    United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Nigeria James Entwistle has urged Nigerians to exercise their rights to vote in next month’s general elections, stressing that they are the most important weapon for genuine change through democratic process.

    He spoke in Abuja yesterday at a lecture by Eisenhower Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria on “Peaceful Elections and Promoting Citizens’ Leadership.”

    It was organised to celebrate the birthday and contributions of American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to non-violent struggle.

    Senator Muhammad Makarfi and former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi attended the event.

    Speaking on the lessons learnt from the non-violence approach of Dr. King, Jr to change, the American envoy said: “All over the world, including in my country, people have struggled and in some cases died to obtain the right to vote, but don’t use it. We disrespect their memory. So, I urge all Nigerians who are eligible to vote to do so. Vote. It’s one of the most powerful weapons in the world. Vote.”

    He added: “Having seen African Americans attacked in the streets and now, 50 years later, having the privilege of working for an African American President of the United States, I am convinced that genuine change through the democratic process is absolutely possible.

    “I know this because I have seen it in my own lifetime in my own country. It may not happen overnight; it may take decades, but it is absolutely possible.”

    He explained that as Dr. King Jr taught Americans and the world, “non-violence means avoiding not only external physical violence, but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him.

    “Committing to non-violence, in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jnr. means that you will not engage in or support violence for any reason, no matter what others do. And if you see it starting, you will do everything in your power to stop it and you will speak out against those who advocate it and otherwise engage innate speech. That, and no less than that, is what Dr. King would expect of all of us.

    “As the representative of a fellow democracy that is a great friend and partner of Nigeria, I look forward to your massive democratic exercise next month with eager anticipation. I have no doubt that it will be boisterous, loud and hotly-contested and that’s all good. But all of us must do everything we can, in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to ensure that exuberance does not descend into violence.”

    In the same manner, Fayemi urged politicians to watch their words, stressing that politicians through their actions or inactions have helped to promote violence.

    He insisted that they must stop political violence through what they say.

    Fayemi also noted that what was sometimes missing was humour, which could be sometimes abusive.

    On the prosecution of electoral violence offenders, the former governor urged the police, who are supposed to carry out investigation and prosecute, to become truly non-partisan.

  • Insurgency: U.S fully behind Nigeria – Envoy

    Insurgency: U.S fully behind Nigeria – Envoy

    The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, on Monday said his country is fully behind Nigeria in the efforts to end terrorism in the country.

    He added that America’s support for Nigeria in its bids to end insurgency in the land comes from the “highest levels of U.S government.”

    The envoy stated these in a statement released by the U.S Consulate office in Lagos.

    He also faulted recent media reports that questioned U.S willingness to support Nigeria’s war on terrorism.

    Despite insisting that the U.S will support the Nigerian government in whatever capacity to end terrorism in the country, he maintained that provision of new equipment and other items of warfare is not the solution to the crisis.

    He urged the Federal Government to meet the basic needs of soldiers by making sure they have the proper attire, are well-trained, and are properly fed in the field.

    In addition, he canvassed economic opportunities to alleviate poverty in the North East, saying these will offer  potential extremist recruits a viable alternative to a life of crime and violence.

    He said, “Our support to Nigeria’s war against terror takes many forms and has been consistent from the beginning.  It involves military training as well as information sharing.  Security cooperation between the United States and Nigeria promotes the professionalization of Nigeria’s security forces and strengthens their contributions to international peacekeeping missions.

    “Our cooperation emphasizes a whole-of government approach that underlines the importance of human rights, civilian protection, and adherence to rule of law at all levels as key tools in the fight against terror.

    “Over the years, the United States has always been willing to share appropriate military equipment with Nigeria.  That remains the case today but must be understood in the context of our global policy on arms transfers.

    “The U.S. government undertakes a rigorous evaluation process before proceeding with the sale of military equipment to any country, including Nigeria.  The U.S. Departments of State and Defense review all potential arms transfers for their consistency with U.S. policy and interests, as detailed in the U.S. Conventional Arms Transfer Policy.

    “This includes any requests from a country that we have sold or donated weapons to resell or donate those same weapons to another country, such as Nigeria.  We examine whether an arms transfer makes sense for the needs of the prospective country.

    “Part of our review considers whether equipment may be used in a way that could adversely affect human rights.  The United States believes that we bear a certain level of responsibility for how the equipment is ultimately used.

    “The battle to end the Boko Haram crisis requires more and these include meeting the basic needs of soldiers – making sure they have the proper attire, are well-trained, and are properly fed in the field.”

    “In addition, providing economic opportunities to alleviate poverty is essential in order to offer potential extremist recruits a viable alternative to a life of crime and violence.  To foster the stability, security, and prosperity of its citizens, Nigeria must effectively address all aspects of the terrorism equation, and we stand with the Nigerian government in its efforts to do just that.”

     

     

     

  • Sultan seeks efforts to combat terrorism

    Sultan seeks efforts to combat terrorism

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Monday in Sokoto called for global efforts to combat terrorism and extremism in Nigeria.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Abubakar made the call when the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, visited him in his palace.

    The Sultan said the menace of terrorism, violence and extremism were common to the two major religions of Islam and Christianity.

    According to him, no one country can solely fight terrorism or extremism because they were not common to Nigeria alone.

    “Nobody will wish his country to be embroiled in violence or crises.

    ”Problems such as suicide bombing and other forms of extremism had crept into Nigeria.”

    He said that the people must be educated in order to fight the menace effectively.

    On the 2015 general elections, the Sultan said that Nigerians were determined to ensure transparent, credible, fair and acceptable polls in 2015 and beyond.

    “We want elections not based on ethnicity or religion; Nigerians need peace and harmony.

    “This is the Nigeria of our dreams, where all the citizens are free and equal.”

    Abubakar urged the U.S and other countries to help Nigeria to fully achieve her goals and commended the U.S Government for its positive disposition towards Nigeria.

    “The two countries have mutual and sustainable partnership that is working and it covers health, peace, education and democracy, among others,” he said.

    Earlier, Entwistle had told the Sultan that he was in state as part of his nationwide visit to see things for himself and assess the realities.

    He said that Nigeria and the U.S would continue to do things together to make the world a better place.

     

  • Don’t expect perfect elections in 2015 – Jega

    Don’t expect perfect elections in 2015 – Jega

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Monday sounded unconvincing on the 2015 general election.

    Jega said the electoral body was not promising a perfect election come 2015.

    Jega, who spoke during an audience with the United States of America Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle at the INEC Headquaters, Abuja, however said the commission will do its best.

    He said, “We are not promising a perfect election in 2015 but we are confident that we will do our best. We have taken some steps to achieve this, for instance staff training in collaboration with development partners, strategic plans and reorganized staff. We are planning a retreat to finalize the timetable for 2015.

    “We are still on the continuous voters’ register and have held series of meetings with security agencies, CSOs and development partners ahead of 2015. While it is the responsibility of INEC to organize civic and other registration awareness, the commission faces challenges of funding as well.

    “It is our responsibility under the Electoral Act to do civil education and even political education generally. It has always been challenging because the resources available to discharge that responsibility are usually insufficient, given the enormity of the task of dealing with a large illiterate population and to get them really understand what to do not only during voting but the larger issues of choosing good candidates and so on.”

    In his remark, the US Ambassador assured Nigeria of his country’s support.