Jonathan to meet governors, health commissioners over Ebola virus

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday will meet with all state governors and their health commissioners in Abuja to discuss measures to combat the deadly Ebola virus disease.

Speaking at the second Inter-faith Dialogue organised by the Interfaith Initiative for Peace which held in Abuja, the president also cautioned Nigerians on burial ceremonies as he noted that sixty percent of Ebola virus is spread during such burial ceremonies.
Jonathan, who promised that he will do all possible to fight the disease, also said that he will support state governments that do not have the financial capacity to fight the scourge.

He added that the Federal Government will continue to secure its borders and airports against the disease.

“Let me appreciate our children who have performed wonderfully well in their presentation and have also raised the issue of Ebola, calling on our religious leaders to stop the Ebola problem. They called on the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and John Cardinal Onaiyekan to stop the problem. So both the Sultan and Cardinal Onaiyekan now have challenges but we will help you.

“As a government, we promise we will do everything possible to contain Ebola. We are doing our best. On Wednesday, I am going to meet with all the governors of the states, they will come with their commissioners on health, and we must make sure that every state is prepared, where they lack, the Federal Government will support the state to make sure that they have what it takes to contain Ebola virus.

“It is unfortunate that one mad man brought the Ebola to us, but we have to contain it. But this is a good forum that we will use to also plead with our religious leaders because people listen to you more than they listen to politicians.

“So in our various preaching in the mosques, in the church we should communicate clearly. I have been having discussions with people outside and within the country since this incident happened.”