He explained that because of the menace of mosquito in the country and the spread of dreaded diseases by the insect, drove the Federal Government to collaborate with the Andelsta Group to re-launch the initiative to eliminate the breeding places of mosquito and diseases caused by mosquito.
The minister, said that, the initiative was first launched in 2009, “but due to funding constraints and the failure of the private sector to key into the programme made it not to be realized.”
He said,” It is against this background that the programme is being re-launched as a purely private sector initiative, and the public sector will provide the enabling environment.”
The minister therefore solicited the support of the state governments, the local governments as well as the international communities to ensure the success of the initiative.
Speaking at the event, The Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, pledged his countries support for the initiative, saying that Cuba has been malaria free since 1967.
“We have all the possibility of working with Nigeria in the area of mosquito eradication,” he assured.
He noted that it was not only in Nigeria we have religious and ethnic conflicts as well as issues of militancy and Boko Haram, and that Cuba also faces such challenges, therefore nothing should stop Nigeria from achieving success in this initiative.
The Cuban ambassador lamented that mosquito was killing One Million people each year in Africa and a strong drain on human capital.
Source: MWN
