By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Budget allocation of 35 per cent to education in Nasarawa has been commended by the United Kingdom which sees it as facilitating an education and agriculture partnership the state is about to begin with the third largest economy in Europe.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, gave the kudos at a meeting with Governor Abdullahi Sule in Lafia where they discussed trade and investment opportunities in the North Central state.
She said the education allocation has improved business environment indicators in the state in the past two years, as quoted by Vanguard from a statement she issued after the meeting.
Laing said the meeting with Sule and key stakeholders in the state discussed current efforts to stimulate the Nasarawa economy, how the UK can offer support to build human capacity, and attracting investors.
During her two-day visit, she inspected projects, including the Nasarawa Bus Terminal in Karu, and met with traditional leaders.
She said the UK will leverage on Family Healthcare Foundation (FAHCI) to establish a vaccinators’ network and prime the market, assuring that FAHCI would stock vaccines in its Lafia office and retail to vaccinators from rural areas.
She disclosed that the UK government is working to increase support for Nigeria’s reform to promote economic diversification for sustainable and inclusive growth.
UK to partner Nasarawa on education, agric
Laing expressed the readiness of the UK to partner Nasarawa on education and agriculture in order to better the lives of its residents.
“Because of the rich mineral potentials in Nasarawa State, the British government will partner the state to develop several sectors in order to improve the living conditions of people of the state,” she explained, per The PUNCH.
She commended Sule for the ongoing construction of bus terminuses in Karu and Keffi Councils to ease gridlock on the Keffi-Karu highway.
Sule said the state is committed to transforming its economy by creating jobs and wealth.
He expressed gratitude to London for its partnership in education and agriculture, and pledged that Nasarawa would do everything possible to ensure the success of the partnership.