India keen to supply Nigeria COVID-19 vaccines -Envoy
By Lizzy Okoji
Mr Abhay Thakur, Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, has said that the government of Indian was ready to supply its COVID-19 vaccines to Nigeria, after it is rolled out next week.
Thakur made this known on Saturday in Abuja at the commemoration of the 16 Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PDB) convention, also known as the Indian Diaspora Day.
He said the vaccines would be made available on concessional terms after completing all the necessary registration requirements with the Nigerian regulatory authorities.
“We will be rolling out next week as the vaccines are already announced, so we will be quite keen to be applying for the necessary registrations, with the regulatory authorities of Nigeria.
“And we will be very happy to supply, on either concessional terms, or any other needs that may be projected by the government of Nigeria.
“In fact, we will like to go out and engage the external world, particularly because we have performed well not only during the COVID period, but in earlier pandemics and contributions to anti AIDS drugs for Africa.
“We will be ready to collaborate when the registration process, as may be required, is completed, and I am sure this will be an important area of collaboration between our two countries.
“We will have to discuss this with the government of Nigeria. Let it be registered first, and we will have to get the approval process,” Thakur said.
Thakur said that the pandemic had further shown the strength of the linkages between both countries, as resilient partners, noting that bilateral and business relations had continued even amid the pandemic.
Speaking on the essence of the PBD, Thakur said the Indian diaspora in Nigeria had adopted Nigeria as their second country, ”seeing India as the country of their birth, while Nigeria as the country of their work.”
The High Commissioner said the Indian community and companies had consistently contributed to the welfare of Nigeria, lauding the recent cash donation of over N100 million by the Indian Community Organisation.
“They have been constantly contributing not only to Indian welfare, but more importantly to Nigeria, which is our message to the Indian community that they must contribute to the country in which they live and perform their duties.
“And I am very happy to say most recently the Indian Community Organisation raised over N100 million and actually earmarked a 50-bed hospital and donated it with the equipment and facilities there, to the department of health of Lagos, which has been highly appreciated,” the envoy said.
Mr Selva Panner, President, Indian Cultural Association, Abuja, said the Association had continued to advocate Indian diaspora to be disciplined, law abiding and imbibe peaceful habits in the country.
Panner said the community would continue to contribute to the Nigerian society economically, socially and culturally, pointing at the PBD celebration as a fine indicator of the ties of the Indian community with their motherland.
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