President Tinubu approves presidential task force, releases ₦10bn to tackle Ebola

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has inaugurated a Presidential Task Force on Preparedness against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and other public health emergencies, making efforts towards enhancing the health security system in the country.

The President further instructed the immediate disbursement of ₦10 billion funds as an emergency intervention to bolster the preparedness of Nigeria against any possible public health emergency.

This is contained in a press statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, the ₦10 billion fund is meant to empower the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The new task force would be headed by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, with members drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), State governments.

This comes amid concerns about the outbreak of Ebola virus disease cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

The presidency said the decision was reached after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Chief of Staff to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and formulate strategies to prevent the importation of the disease.

Participants at the meeting included officials from the Ministry of Interior, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Lagos State Government and other key agencies.

As part of the emergency measures, President Tinubu directed all states with international airports and border corridors to submit preparedness plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for coordinated implementation.

The government also ordered:

Intensified passenger screening at all international airports.

Enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols.

Increased monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk routes, including Air Uganda, RwandAir, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.

Immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at Lagos and Abuja international airports.

Mandatory QR code-based pre-arrival health declarations for travellers from designated high-risk countries.

Disinfection of airport facilities, cargo terminals and baggage handling areas.

The President further directed the task force to work with aviation, security and diplomatic authorities on possible flight regulations involving affected countries, including the designation of specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights and adjustments to flight schedules to minimise contact between passengers.

The move is part of efforts to prevent a repeat of major public health emergencies and ensure Nigeria remains prepared for emerging infectious disease threats.