By Admin
The Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association in collaboration with Farm Alert, a non- governmental organization has given a grant of one million naira each to nine veterinary Doctors to enable them set up veterinary related businesses.
At a ceremony in Abuja that attracted veterinarians from both public and private sectors, they all agreed that public private partnership should be encouraged and sustained in the country.
With the growing number of unemployment and the increasing number of graduates churned out into the society , it has therefore become imperative to explore other means of engaging these young minds to be self reliant
The President, Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association, Dr Moses Arikoyo, said the event , which was the third in a series, was meant to empower the veterinarians to help them venture into entrepreneurship in animal related fields.
Dr. Arikoyo pointed out that about eighty percent of veterinary Doctors are in the private sector practice, and this according to him had contributed in solving the problem of unemployment and poverty, adding that the disease burden in the sub Saharan Africa had grown to ninety billion dollars, and this could only be tackled, if more veterinarians were empowered to handle the challenges.
According to him, poverty in the rural areas is 75 percent and 41 percent in the urban area, and overall, the poverty rate has been put at 30. 9 percent for both urban and rural areas combined.
“Veterinarians have been positioned not only to solve animal problems but that of humanity as well”
A Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr Inuwa Musa, emphasized that the government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of employing all Nigerians, but should create the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and empower more people, hence the need for the grant of awards to the veterinarians.
“The Veterinary Council and association will ensure healthy animals in the country that will be good both for local consumption and export as well”
A member of the Board of Trustees, Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association, professor Usman Junaidu said this type of initiative should be encouraged in all fields of human endeavor to create jobs and reduce the burden of employment on the government.
One of the beneficiaries, Dr Walihu Olasunkami, pledged to utilize the grant for the benefit of the people.
Goodwill messages were delivered by Professor Mathew Adamu, Professor Usman Junaidu, Professor Fashino, Dr Muhinda, Dr Bala Mohammed, Dr Monday among others.
The Highlight of the occasion was the distribution of One Million Naira Cheques to each of the nine beneficiaries.
