Ebola: OBJ, others petition African leaders, urge action

Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo, his Tanzanian counterpart, Benjamin Mkapa and other stakeholders have asked African leaders to take immediate action to contain the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease. The stakeholders, in a petition dated August 31, 2014 and entitled “Urgent Citizens’ Call to Action”, alerted that Ebola had become an overwhelming human catastrophe […]

Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo, his Tanzanian counterpart, Benjamin Mkapa and other stakeholders have asked African leaders to take immediate action to contain the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease.

The stakeholders, in a petition dated August 31, 2014 and entitled “Urgent Citizens’ Call to Action”, alerted that Ebola had become an overwhelming human catastrophe affecting public health, social institutions and economic well-being of Africa.

The petitioners noted that they were collectively launching the call to action in the name and interest of their common humanity.

They specifically called on African heads of state and government to avoid full embargo against Ebola-affected countries.

“While we understand the legitimate concerns for the protection of their population, we remind African leaders of their obligation to pan-African solidarity and the global community of their humanitarian obligations in emergencies”, the petition read in part.

The petitioners, from across the continent, said they stood in solidarity with citizens in the affected countries.

They thanked and saluted the local and international health workers who, according to them, are risking their lives daily, intervening in eradicating the scourge “often without access to gloves and other protective supplies”.

They applauded the decision of the ECOWAS health ministers to call for the lifting of travel bans to Ebola-affected countries, “which are hampering the fight against Ebola and restricting the arrival of essential expertise and equipment, as well as fuel to provide electricity, medications to treat other deadly diseases such as malaria and food to prevent famine”.

They urged that the flow of essential assistance reaches those in need, while maintaining economic activity necessary for sustaining life in cities and villages by authorising and implementing the local recommendations issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO), “acknowledging the impossibility of quarantining entire nations and instead establish much-needed economic and humanitarian corridors of access–essential life-lines– both within the affected countries and between countries”.

The petitioners also called on African opinion leaders, including artists, athletes, film makers, writers, journalists and academics to initiate or to actively take part in public information campaigns on prevention and transmission of the Ebola virus.

“These can happen via road-shows, film screenings, theatrical pieces, discussion groups, and the distribution of messages via cellphone networks. And we call upon global opinion leaders to add their talents and voices in support”, they added.

They urged the broad private sector, the pharmaceutical industry and the research community in particular to fund, facilitate and make immediately available, access to all known methods of prevention and treatment of “this menacing threat to our global well-being”.

The petitioners included Mrs Graca Machel, President of the Foundation for Community Development; Bineta Diop, Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, African Union;
Youssou Ndour, singer; Ali Mufuruki, InfoTech Investment Group; Kandeh Yumkallah, Chairman of UN-Energy and former Director-General;
Zainab Bangura, Special Representative of UN Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict; Ashih Thakkar, Founder, MARA Group AKON; Singer
Frannie Leautier, Founder, Mkoba Group; Dele Olojede, journalist, Pulitzer prize winner; Amadou Mahtar Ba, Executive Chairman, Co Founder AllAfrica Global Media; Mamadou Toure, Founder, Africa 2.0; Thelma Awori, chairman, Institute for Social Transformation;

They also included Linus Gitahi, CEO Nation Media Group; Prof. Ousmane Kane, Harvard University; Ebrima Sall, Executive Secretary CODESRIA; Prof. Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Columbia University; Prof. Alioune Sall, Director, African Futures Institute, South Africa;
Prof. Mamadou Diouf, Columbia University; Trevor Ncube, Deputy Executive Chair, Mail&Guardian;
Omar Ben Yedder, Director IC Publications; Férial Haffajee, Editor-in-Chief, City Press; Zyad Limam, Director Afrique Magazine; Aminata Forna, Professor of Creative Writing and award-winning author; Mahen Bonetti, Founder & Executive Director of African Film Festival, Inc; Fatou Wurie, activist; Alpha Djo Dara; Sia Tolno; Abraham Sont; Fode Barro;

Others were Aliou Goloko, CEO Goal Communication;
Reed Kramer, CEO, AllAfrica Global Media; Aly Leno, Président Union des Journalistes Culturels et Animateurs de Guinée; Tidiane Soumah, PDG Todoane World Music; Dr Tendai Mhizha, CEO Integra Africa; Samba Bathily, PDG ADS; Prof. Cheikh Ibrahima Niang, UCAD; Prof. Penda Mbow, UCAD; Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, former minister, Kenya; Dr Tami Hultman, CEO AllAfrica Foundation; Soyata Maiga, Special Rapporteur on Women Human Rights in Africa; Harriette Williams Bright, Femmes Africa Solidarité; Isham Elgar, Olympic and world champion; and Younes Maamar, CEO, Eone Investments.