Nigeria has fulfilled its promise to rebuild a school that was severely damaged during the earthquake that devastated Haiti some years ago.
The gesture, which was Nigeria’s response to international support for the island nation which suffered serious infrastructural damage when a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, saw the rebuilding of the Benoit Batraville High School located in Saut-D’eau, Haiti.
It was to further consolidate the subsisting bilateral relations between Nigeria and Haiti and was supported by well- meaning Nigerians and the Red Cross Society.
The project was suspended in 2015 due to unforeseen circumstances but rejuvenated by the Nigerian Government through its High Commission in Jamaica that is concurrently accredited to Haiti in 2022.
The mission, after satisfying due process requirements, awarded the contract to a Jamaican based Benson Construction Company.
Despite all odds including security challenges in Haiti, the project commenced in February 2023 and was completed in record time by 23rd of August, 2023.
The building was handed over to the Haitian authorities on 29th August 2023. During the handover speeches and goodwill messages were delivered via zoom by top government functionaries of both countries.
In attendance was Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Jamaica with concurrent accreditation to Haiti, Dominican Republic and Belize; Ambassador Maureen Tamuno, minister of education Haiti; Mr Nesmy Manigat, director-general, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Haiti, representing the minister of foreign affairs, Haiti; Mr Azad Belfort, and senior government officials from Haiti.
In her remarks Tamuno applauded the bilateral relations between both countries, and expressed delight at the delivery of the project.
She thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his renewed hope agenda and commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.
She also thanked the minister of foreign affairs, Yusuf Tuggar and his Haitian counterpart, Monsieur Jean Victor Geneus.
She acknowledged Nesmy Manigat, minister of education, Haiti, and the Municipal Council of Saut-D’eau for their support and cooperation towards the project. She enjoined the students and teachers to make good use of the edifice delivered and expressed her willingness to re-visit Haiti soon.
The Nigerian top diplomat used the opportunity to advocate and urge stakeholders, most especially the United Nations, to assist with returning normalcy to Haiti.
The Haiti officials thanked the Nigerian government for the landmark project, and emphasised that without the government of Nigeria it would have been impossible.
The minister for foreign affairs Haiti represented by the director of Foreign Affairs, Mr Azad Belfort expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Government for their benevolence and to Amb Maureen Tamuno, for working tirelessly for the actualisation of the landmark project.
He emphasised the close ties Nigeria and Haiti share through descendants of the Igbo community from Nigeria. He stated that the establishment of the school will strengthen the diplomatic ties between both countries.
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