Ebola: FG Sets Up Communication Committee, Says No Confirmed Case
The Federal Government has inaugurated a Communication Sub-Committee under the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, while assuring Nigerians that there is no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja during the inaugural meeting of the committee, urging Nigerians to remain calm, stay vigilant and rely only on verified information from official sources.
“Let me reassure Nigerians that there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria. However, recent developments elsewhere in Africa remind us that infectious diseases know no borders,” the minister said.
Idris commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the Presidential Task Force, describing the move as a proactive measure to safeguard public health through preparedness, coordination and timely response.
He stressed that effective communication would be central to managing any public health emergency, noting that accurate, timely and science-based information could save lives, while misinformation and rumours could undermine public confidence and hamper response efforts.
The minister recalled Nigeria’s successful containment of the Ebola outbreak in 2014, attributing the achievement to strong political leadership, coordinated action, effective disease surveillance and sustained public communication.
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According to him, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has already commenced nationwide public sensitisation using approved health messages developed in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
“Our message to Nigerians must remain clear: there is no confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria; there is no cause for panic; government is fully prepared and vigilant,” Idris said.
He urged members of the public to maintain good personal hygiene, promptly report suspected symptoms to health authorities and rely only on verified government information on the disease.
The inaugural meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the committee, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye; the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, represented by his Special Assistant on Digital Communications, Saka Olugbenga; the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, represented by Dr. Tochi Okwor; the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu; the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Alhassan Yahya; the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku; and the Vice President (North) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Hamza Idris, among other stakeholders.
The Communication Sub-Committee is expected to coordinate public messaging, counter misinformation and strengthen risk communication as part of the Federal Government’s preparedness strategy against Ebola and other emerging public health threats.
By PRNigeria
