The Nation Newspaper

Tag: United States Embassy

  • Health tops US support for Nigeria

    Health tops US support for Nigeria

    Funding of health tops the United States ( US ) support for Nigeria in the grassroots and Non-Governmental Organisations.

    The Chief Information Officer of the United States Embassy, Nigeria, Mr. Russel Brooks stated this on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the head office of The Nation Newspaper in Lagos.

    According to him, the US spends the great majority of it funds in dealing with health situations such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria; even the current Cerebrospinal Meningitis outbreak in the Northern region of the country.

    “We have organizations in Nigeria that are focused on intervening on health situations such as the U.S. Agency for International Development – USAID, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and also the Walter Reed medical centre.

    “In fact, the Walter Reed Medical Centre’s office located in Nigeria is currently the only one there is on this continent; this shows the importance that the U.S. places on Nigeria and the particular health problems that is prevalent here. Health is a major issues and it concerns the entire world, not just the United States and Nigeria. For that reason, it is so important to us,” Brooks said.

    He added that the US also partners with Nigeria in education where it continues to engage the people, especially those at the grassroots level.

    “EducationUSA is a department through which thousands of Nigerians get information about the possibility of studying in the United States – at the undergraduate, graduate level, and even community colleges. By taking advantage of that opportunities, and bringing back skills and information to the country, obviously, we are helping the development and future prosperity of Nigeria.

    Concerning Cultural/Academic exchange between the two countries, Mr. Russel spoke on the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), of which the Mandela Washington programme is an offshoot.

    “We have the Mandela Washington fellow, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, and some others. It is obvious that the US assistance here to Nigeria and its people is broad, varied, and extremely helpful. It contributes to the strong leadership that we have not just on a governmental level, but on a people to people level.

    “The Mandela Washington Programme is one that provides an opportunity for fellows from Africa to visit the United States each year and do a variety of things – attend academic institutes, colleges, and university. The Mandela Programme is only one component of YALI.

    “There are other programmes related to YALI that take place on this continent.  We have some leadership institutes here that help find internships for returning Mandela Washington fellows. We also look for opportunities to engage with corporations in businesses here on the continent.

    “Pertaining to the fellowship programmes, it is true that when administration changes, there is a possibility of a change in policy, but at the moment, there has not been a diminishment of our interest or support for the Mandela Programme. Thousands of Africans went for the programme last year, there are thousand going this year, and the largest number of Africans attending the programme comes from Nigeria. Slightly over a hundred Nigerians are going to participate in this programme.

    “We believe that it is a wonderful programme, and has paid tremendous dividends for Nigeria. Therefore, there is no reason to stop supporting the programme. The administrative change from Former President Obama to President Trump does not affect the programme.”

    Brooks was accompanied by the Deputy Public Affairs Officer of the agency, Mr. Frank Sellin, and Mr. Temitayo Famutimi, Information Specialist to the United States Consulate General, Lagos.

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  • US offers $172,000 grants for community projects in Nigeria

    The United States Embassy in Nigeria on Monday awarded 172,000 dollars grants to 30 local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

    The grants which is under the Ambassador’s Small Grants Programme spreads across  19 states for community-based projects.

    The programme, according to new US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, provides one-time small grants to community development projects.

    This year grant was lower than 2015 which was 250,000 dollars grants to 35 NGOs covering 20 states.

    The beneficiary states include Anambra, Benue, Borno, Cross Rivers, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Federal Capital Territory, Kwara and Lagos.

    Others are Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Kogi States.
    Ambassador  Symington explained that “The ambassador’s small grant programme was established as a programme for the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to assist groups, neighbourhoods, villages and communities to help themselves.

    “The grant is largely funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFRAR) and by the U.S. Department of State Self Help.”

    The funds, Symington said, was expected to cover projects ranging from purchasing of books and equipment for schools, construction of classrooms, health clinics, community centres, food processing mills to boreholes and latrines.

    The funds, he said, would also provide economic, nutritional and hygienic needs of some families and communities affected by HIV/AIDS as well as providing safe school toilets to mitigate communicable diseases.

    According to him through grants the U.S. Mission in Nigeria was able to reach the people and support the initiative, endeavours and development of local communities.

    The Ambassador who said Nigeria was unique in the success of Africa as a continent stressed on the need to support families and communities to make Nigeria great.

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Adeola Seweje-Chimunda applauded the embassy for the initiative and pledged commitment for the implementation of various projects.

    One of the grantees, Abel Oniye, of the Good Samaritan initiative from Ondo said the 3,810 dollars grant for his NGOs was for educational support for the visually impaired School in Owo.

    Oniye who said the physically challenged are largely neglected by the authorities as little or no attention was paid to them appealed to the government at all levels to pay more attention to their needs

    Adi Vera, from Emmanuel Teryila Memorial Liberty Foundation based in Ushongu Benue State, said the 6,640 dollars for her organisation was to assist the out of school youth.

    Vera who said she had reached out to over 10,000 youth and was targeting more than 120 youths with the grant was to empower the school dropout to make them achieve their purpose of living.

  • 2015: U.S seeks credible polls

    2015: U.S seeks credible polls

    The United States Embassy in Nigeria has called for credible leadership and violence-free elections in Nigeria in 2015.

    The U.S government said the world would was focussing on the conduct of credible elections in Nigeria.

    It noted that Nigeria cannot afford to disappoint the international community.

    U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Entwistle, spoke yesterday in Kano during his visit to the Emir, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II.

    The envoy said the U.S was intensifying intelligence partnership with the Nigerian government to figh insecurity.

    Entwistle, who dismissed Boko Haram’s affiliation with Islamic doctrine, said the tenets of Islam are devoid of hatred and violence, as portrayed by the insurgents.

    He said: “We share intelligence information and we have learnt a lot on the counter-terrorism front. We have been sharing lessons learnt in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries with your government and military because we established  that in effective counter-terrorism, there is the military component. But it is much more than that. We believe people should be educated, as well as the provision of economic growth, empowerment, making sure people understand what their needs are,’’ he said.

    Sanusi II reminded the  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that  security agencies and other policy makers should discharge their responsibility with fairness before, during and after the 2015 elections.

    The emir solicited effective collaboration between the U.S government and Nigeria to tackle insecurity in the land.

    Sanusi II said the major guarantee for peace and tranquility is the eradication of poverty, economic empowerment, good health care, development and education for all.

     

    The US Ambassador maintained that the claim of the insurgents on Islam is falsehood and cannot depict the good teachings of Islam.

    ‘’Perhaps, most significantly, Nigerians most effectively counter those who will take the message of the beautiful religion,  like Islam, provoke it and twist it into  the message of hatred and violence. If you look at the claim of  Boko Haram, even though I’m not a religious scholar but I can tell that you will never find anything of such in the holy Quran and in Islam and that is the reason why all of us have to join hands and fight them collectively, so as to make sure that the great religion and messages of Islam are not provoked and turned into violence’’. James noted.

    Responding, the Emir assured the US government of the Emirate Council’s support and partnership to improve economic development and agricultural growth in

    Kano, which are in line with the council’s objectives.

     

     

  • Insecurity: U.S ‘puts on hold’ proposed Kano consulate

    The United States Embassy in Nigeria has put on hold the planned opening of Kano consular office, citing insecurity in the northern part of the country.

    Presently there are two U.S consulates in Nigeria, and that is in Lagos and Abuja.

    The decision to put on hold the idea was confirmed on Wednesday by the U.S Information Officer in Abuja, Rhonda Ferguson-Augustus, during a press briefing by the Chief Consular Carol Cox on student visas.

    She noted that uncertainty in the north was responsible for shelving the idea, adding that America want to be sure of the safety of the people that would be going there.

    She said, “We want to be sure that security is there.”

    On student visa, Cox said the Abuja consulate recorded about 45 per cent increase in application over the past year, same as Lagos.

    Cox, however, warned applicants to be wary of agents and fraudsters who mill around the consulates.

    She advised interested applicants to be truthful in the information and documents provided.

    The information officer also strongly warned against the use of forged documents.