The African Development Bank (AFDB) has said it has committed $1.4 billion on 35 development projects in Nigeria. The Vice-President for Sector Operations, Dr Kamal Elkheshen, told journalists in Abuja on Tuesday that the amount also included credit to the private sector, adding that the money was invested in the health, education and agriculture sectors.
“Some other programs are in the pipeline and some money will also be invested in science and technology,’’ he said.
Elkheshen, who co-chaired a plenary session at the ongoing conference on Agri-Business and Agro-Industry in Africa being held in Abuja, said the bank had so far had a rewarding relationship with Nigeria.
He said his visit to Nigeria would facilitate a review of some projects in the country to enhance growth and development.
Elkheshen said the visit had three goals, namely to review the impact of the food, fuel and financial crisis on the economy ; assess the projects financed by AfDB and look into areas of improving relationship with Nigeria.
“I have just finished a meeting with the Minister of Health ; we had a very productive meeting and we reviewed the state of operation of the AfDB regarding the health sector.
“We discussed additional things that would help Nigeria in the health sector, things that had to do with capacity building of health workers,’’ he said.
Elkheshen said the meeting also discussed the need for intervention in Nigeria’s high mortality rate and support systems as well as the need for a more integrated health system at the regional and sub-regional levels, especially in the exchange of ideas.
Elkheshen said the African countries could be more inter-dependent on each other for medical services for their citizens instead of always looking to Europe and America.
He said because of Nigeria’s size and influence, its development would trigger growth in Africa.
“Nigeria is large and it has a huge economy. We in the AfDB have a development plan for the continent and our goal is to support Nigeria to achieve its development growth,’’ he said.
Elkheshen is scheduled to meet with Nigeria’s ministers of Agriculture and Water Resources, Education and Finance to discuss areas of further intervention on the Nigerian economy.
Source African Press Agency
African News from NetNewsPublisher.com
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