Thursday, February 13, 2025 the co-chairman of PLRIC honored the invitation to the commissioning of the 40m capacity solar powered Vacine cold room facility constructed by L-Press at PCU centre Sheda, Gwagwalada - Lokoja highway. In his remarks the co-chairman stated that this project represents a significant step forward in the federal government’s commitment to ensuring the health, productivity, and resilience of Nigeria’s livestock sector. As we all know, animal diseases particularly transboundary and zoonotic diseases pose a serious threat to food and nutrition security, public health, and overall economic stability in our country. The establishment of this facility is, therefore, a crucial milestone in the fight against these challenges. This initiative, made possible through the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) with support from the World Bank, aligns perfectly with Mr. President’s broader objectives for a reformed and well-developed livestock sector. Mr. President’s vision is to create a modern, sustainable, and disease-free livestock sector that enhances economic opportunities for livestock farmers, strengthens value chains, and ensures food and nutrition security in our nation. I have no doubt that, this facility will be of immense benefits to the livestock sector, especially with regards to: ⅰ. Strengthened Disease Control: This cold storage facility will improve vaccine availability, enabling mass vaccination campaigns to achieve the target of 75% coverage of all livestock. ⅱ. Enhanced Vaccine Storage and Distribution: The solar-powered system ensures an uninterrupted cold chain, addressing one of the biggest challenges in vaccine efficacy. ⅲ. Support for Livestock Farmers: By reducing disease outbreaks, we are increasing livestock productivity and profitability for smallholder farmers and commercial enterprises alike. This achievement is the result of dedicated collaboration among government agencies, research institutions, international partners, and private sector stakeholders. I would like to particularly appreciate the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the L-PRES National Coordination Office, the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria (CVON), and the World Bank for their commendable effort in bringing this vision to function. As we commission this facility today, let us remember that our work does not stop here. This is just one of many steps we must take to fully realize a resilient, commercially viable, and sustainable livestock industry. I call on all stakeholders’, government agencies, private sector players, and livestock farmers to take full advantage of this facility and support the broader livestock reform agenda. Once again, I commend and thank everyone who has contributed to making this project a success. God willing, we will continue to build a stronger, healthier, and more prosperous livestock sector for Nigeria. The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Muktar Maiha flag off the facility