The British High Commissioner Visits Plateau in Unity Talks

The British High Commissioner, Dr. Richard Montgomery visited Jos, Plateau State, between the 25^th and 27^th of March for high-level discussions with the state governor, key civil society groups, and research institutions.

During the three-day visit, the High Commissioner visited the Plateau State Governor, His Excellency Caleb Mutfwang. 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, the UK-funded Deep Dives Peace Project contributed to the signing of the Bassa Peace Accord of 14 July, 2022.

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, 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. He also called on the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to meet their faculty and fellows.

OFFICIAL – FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

At the end of the visit, the British High Commissioner, Dr. Richard Montgomery, said:

“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”.