US to collaborate with FG in ending Boko Haram insurgency

From HAFSAT GBADAMOSI, Bauchi

THE United States government has assured that it is fully committed to do everything it can in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria to bring an end to Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East sub-region of the country.

The assurance was given on Tuesday by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James F Entwistle, when he paid a courtesy visit to Bauchi State governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar at the Government House, Bauchi.

The ambassador stated that the U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would give Internally Displace Persons(IDPs) who were displaced by insurgency formal education, saying that leaving them without education would cause more harm to the region.

Entwistle, who was represented by the USAID Nigeria Mission Director, Michael Harvey, stated that US would help in resettling the IDPs in various camps across the country so that they could return to their respective homes.

Harvey expressed Ambassador Entwistle’s regret for not being in Bauchi personally, saying that he could not come because he had a scheduled discussions with US Secretary of State on issues bordering Nigeria.

He informed that they were going to visit their camps in the state to show the displaced persons love.

Ambassador Entwistle stated that he was in Bauchi to renew the partnership with the Bauchi State government with a view to rebuilding the education and health sectors in the state.

He commended Governor Abubakar for giving both education and health lion shares in the state’s 2016 budget which he presented to the state House of Assembly, adding that this informed the decision of USAID to support the government in boasting the education and health sectors.

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Entwistle added that the American government was also ready to equally support the state government in the area of quality power supply and employment, saying that both the American and Nigerian governments were working together to ensure stable power supply to Nigerians.

Responding, Governor Abubakar expressed the appreciation of the people and government of the state to the American government, through the USAID/Nigeria Mission, to partner with Bauchi State.

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According to the governor, the present administration in the state would soon embark on training of teachers and health personnel in the state in order to ensure giving quality education to the people as well as enhance health care delivery in the state.

Speaking while receiving the ambassador in his palace, the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu, appreciated the gesture of the American government in renewing its partnership with the state aimed at supporting the state government in achieving its goals.
The royal father described the ambassador’s visit to the state as historical to the people of Bauchi, saying that this would remain evergreen in their hearts.

The US Ambassador later visited the American Corner at the Professor Iya Abubakar Centre at the Bauchi State Library in the state capital, where he said that the space of the Corner was too small to accommodate many students, promising that the U.S. embassy was and for going to provide a big place for it.