Containment efforts in Nigeria lower impact

Business activities across the West African countries may have been gravely affected by the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), due to limitation of movements at the borders.

The indications from the Borderless Alliance, recently suggested that the West African countries have been losing huge revenue due to limitations to cross-border businesses across the region.

However, the current containment efforts in Nigeria have limited the pangs of the disease on the nation’s economy.

Indeed, the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), recognizing this fact, has described the Ebola outbreak in West Africa as not only a health emergency but a “destructive element” in the region’s march towards socio-economic development.

The Borderless Alliance, in a statement signed by the President of its Executive Committee, Ziad Hamoui, advised its “members who are engaged in regional trade and transport, to exercise the highest levels of precaution, in order to ensure the safety of their personnel and their families at all times. Member organizations are, hereby, requested to instruct their representatives to adhere to all required health and safety guidelines, especially while completing formalities or crossing borders,”

Borderless Alliance is an institution of a multi-lateral partnership of private and public sector stakeholders working to increase trade in West Africa, and eliminate barriers to trade.

Hamoui said that, in order to prevent unnecessary health risks to its operational team, Borderless Alliance has suspended temporarily, some of its already planned activities in the affected countries, pending visible improvements of the situation in those countries.

African countries tightened travel curbs in recent times in an effort to contain the Ebola outbreak, ignoring World Health Organization warnings that such measures could heighten shortages of food and basic supplies in affected areas.

The group however, said its Border Information Centers across the region, would make available printed material for distribution to economic operators at the border crossings.

“Finally, and while we do not wish to overstep our mandate as a regional advocacy group that promotes economic integration and targets trade barriers, we stand ready to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, as well as regional authorities, within our capacity and if deemed necessary.

“Borderless Alliance offers its condolences to the victims of this recent deadly outbreak. We express our full support and solidarity with all regional governments and the people of West Africa, in their efforts to contain this danger and bring things back to normalcy. Trade facilitation will help the affected areas and people recover after this crisis has passed,” he stated.

The Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Toga Gayewea McIntosh said “this is a community challenge that can only be faced through solidarity, working together and integrating our responses.”

The disease has claimed more than 900 lives since its outbreak in the region in March 2014, with most of the deaths reported in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and five in Nigeria.

As precautionary and preventive measures, ECOWAS has also suspended its meetings involving officials from member states while its Lagos Liaison Office has been disinfected. 

The vice president said a Solidarity Fund has been set up to enable the region combat the outbreak, as ECOWAS continues to work with member states to defeat the disease.