British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Pocock has said that
60 percent of British government’s donation to Nigeria goes to the
Northern part of the country.
“Indeed 60 percent of the British development assistance that we put
into this country comes into the Northern Nigeria”, said Mr Pocock,
adding that this is because the United Kingdom is deeply concerned
about development of the region.
He disclosed this on Tuesday during the graduation and presentation of
empowerment grants/facilities to 1,907 youth and women trained on
horticultural skills and home based trades by Kano government held at
Government House, Kano.
Mr. Pocock added that “we work very closely in particular with Kano
state because we believe that the institutions of the state under the
leadership of the state governor give results and the results are what
we are interested in”.
“The example this state gives today is unanimously important –
gathering of graduates who have been empowered on vocational training
particularly in the agricultural area. It is good to see men given
professions and I have to say it is particularly good to see women
being empowered in this way” the envoy added.
“It is solid truth of developmental economists that where women are
given a chance to own a sustainable living, the health and wealth of
their families and of the communities and of the states massively
improve,” he argued.
The British High Commissioner therefore congratulated the state
government and beneficiaries of its empowerment programmes, expressing
hope that the state will soon be able to overcome its security
Speaking during the occasion, the state governor, Rabi’u Musa
Kwankwaso said a total of N210 million was spent on the programmes,
explaining that the beneficiaries include 500 (11th batch) youth
trained on poultry farming, 400 (4th batch) trained on aquaculture,
132 (7th batch) trained on livestock, 275 (1st batch) on horticulture,
100 (6th batch) and 500 less privileged women trained on home based
The governor appealed to them to make good usage of what is given to
them as capital in order to be self employed and eventually employ
others, thus alleviating poverty and unemployment in the society.