Jonathan decries politicisation of Ebola containment

President Goodluck Jonathan kicked yesterday against attempts to politicise Nigeria’s success in containing the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak.

The President spoke at the launch of the Tony Elumelu Nigeria Empowerment Fund at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He said neither himself nor any governor should claim credit for the efforts of ordinary Nigerians which stopped the disease from spreading in Nigeria.

According to him, credit should rather go to every Nigerian, religious and social groups for their sacrifices with attitudes and conduct for making Nigeria Ebola-free.

Jonathan noted that such unity of purpose and compassion among Nigerians were exhibited during the fund raising, two years ago, for victims of the 2011 floods.

The President said N11 billion was still in the coffers of the floods fund.

He said the Federal Government donated N250 million to the N1.5 billion Elumelu Fund, which the promoters said would be used to revitalise the economies of post-conflict communities, like those in the Niger Delta and Jos, Plateau State.

A member of the fund and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah, called for common fora that would enable philanthropic Nigerians to connect with one another to bring succour to devastated communities.

Jonathan sad: “I’m quite pleased with what is happening because I have realised that government alone cannot solve human problems. Anything done by government, once you involve the private sector and the civil society, there is always a difference.

“The most recent one is our ability to manage Ebola. People are trying to play politics with it, which is quite unfortunate. But we had assistance from international donors; our development partners participated, in terms of giving protective gear and various suggestions.

“The Federal Government did a lot of things, in terms of logistics, moving people from one part of the country to the other, quarantining people within their homes and getting doctors or medical experts to follow up. We did not arrest anybody, moving people from Port Harcourt to Lagos for treatment and so on. A number of things were done.

“But the key thing that made the government to succeed is the buy-in by the ordinary Nigerians. When the government said we must be mindful of gatherings, of handshakes, we should not move bodies unnecessarily, even churches that I was afraid would resist because of practice of Holy Communion, having 1,000 people sharing the same cup and so on, stopped that practice within that period.

“Even the saluting by shaking people was suspended by religious organisations within that period. Nigerians became mindful; friends stopped embracing one another, saying until we get out of Ebola.

“So, it had the buy-in of the populace. Of course, that is why we succeeded so fast. Otherwise, we couldn’t have. There is no magic the government would have used to solve that problem. No President or governor would claim any credit. The credit should go to the ordinary Nigerians for their cooperation and buy-in.”

Also, Health Minister Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu has said the battle against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) may have been won in Nigeria but the war is not yet over.

Chukwu spoke in Abuja at the plenary of this year’s Summit on Women and Girl-Child Education with the theme: Reinforcing the Agenda for Girl Child Education.

The minister noted that while the global accolades Nigeria got for tackling the disease was well deserved, the country cannot afford to go to sleep on a likely new case since the scourge was still ravaging some West African countries.

He said: “I have confidence that the war against the EVD has been won (in Nigeria). But I must also warn that the preventive measures still in place should be taken seriously, as long as the disease is still ravaging some African countries and spreading beyond.”

Chukwu said the Nigerian experience at containing the scourge had amazed many, who wonder how the country subdued it, despite some lapses in the nation’s health care delivery system.

The minister added that it was an exemplary achievement worthy of replication in any Ebola-infested country.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, said the Federal Government would continue to recognise the valuable contributions of Nigerian women and girls to the sustenance of the society.

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