President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the request of ECOWAS for the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) to transport and distribute COVID-19 medical supplies from Abuja regional hub to other ECOWAS Member States.
The Directorate of Communications, ECOWAS Commission, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
According to the statement, President Buhari gave the approval following an appeal from the ECOWAS Commission’s President, Jean-Claude Brou, to grant WAHO’s request for logistic support regarding air freight of critical COVID-19 medical supplies.
It stated that Brou made the appeal during a virtual meeting with President Buhari, as he briefed him of the Commission’s activities since the last Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in April.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari was appointed by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments, to champion the battle against COVID-19 pandemic in the sub-region.
“The purpose of the meeting was to brief the champion on what has been done since the last Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments, which held on April 23, 2020.
“And the next steps to be taken before the next 57th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments later in the year.
“President Brou highlighted the activities of the three Ministerial Coordinating Committees on Health, Finance and Transport, Logistics and Trade.
“He informed the champion that the individual reports of the three Committees would be consolidated into one report, which would be passed to the champion for his consideration.
“And possible use as a working document for his Excellency’s report to the next ECOWAS Summit, scheduled to hold in July 2020.
“In addition, Brou implored President Buhari to continue to serve as Advocate for ECOWAS on the continental and international levels, on the fight against COVID-19.
“Also, the champion should promote massive awareness campaigns involving all stakeholders, on the increase of COVID-19 in the ECOWAS region.
“Cumulatively, 45,161 confirmed cases and sadly 878 deaths as at Wednesday, June 10, 2020”, it stated.
(NAN)