COVID-19: Working with AU Will Help Scale Through This Crisis – MD LADOL
By Abisola THOMPSON
The Managing Director of LADOL Free Zone (LADOL) Dr. Amy Jadesimi says working or collaborating with other African countries can help battle COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Jadesimi who is a Supergroup founding member of the African Influencers for Development Initiative (AIDI), which is a coalition set up with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) disclosed this to our correspondent in a private chat.
This powerful coalition of current and future development champions in African business, academia and the arts, supported by the UNDP, are focused on co-discovering and co-implementing innovative solutions for some of Africa’s biggest challenges
“Working with the African Union, AU and/or otherwise collaborating with other African countries will help us get through this crisis. We should help our smaller neighbours, both because this is the right thing to do morally but also because from an epidemiological perspective, if we don’t eradicate this virus or the threat it poses, every country in Africa remain at risk.”
“The economic ramifications maybe as devastating for us as the health crisis, which is why the Government’s quick action in setting up funds to protect SMEs and Nigerian jobs is very reassuring, “she said.
LADOL’s MD added that working with the AU will also enable the best minds on the continent to work together to come up with the solutions Africa needs in the short, medium and long-term.
“We could also collectively bargain for the materials, equipment and machinery we need and disseminate the same across the continent. Negotiating as the AU or a regional collective, would greatly strengthen our ability to purchase the right preventatives such as sanitizers, gloves, face masks and even test kits etc… as well as the machinery and equipment for treatment, not just to buy the equipment but also to manufacture it locally.”
“In fact, some materials and equipment can be manufactured locally today in African countries which will be easier for us to purchase and learn from, to increase our local manufacturing capabilities.”
“I often say to people that being a Nigerian is what maintains my faith in humanity and times like this really reinforce that belief – despite the fear, the challenges and the uncertainty we are coming together as a nation and supporting each other through this,” she said.
As the most populous nation in Africa, LADOL’s MD believes that Nigeria has unique challenges, responsibilities and opportunities stressing that both Federal and State Governments have risen quickly to the challenge and acted far quicker than some Western governments.
“Nigeria, in fact Africa, must deal with this alone so it is good that the public and private sector are working together on this effort,” she said.
