By Shakirudeen Bankole
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, has said that UN is currently galvanizing global efforts to make equitable access to the Covid 19 vaccine, especially for the poor and vulnerable people across Africa.
Speaking on Channels Television Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, the Nigeria’s former Minister, said the recent news of the efficacy of the Pfizer Vaccine and other vaccines currently undergoing trials across the world, propelled the world body to initiate strategic plans that would ensure countries like Nigeria, was not left behind in the medical breakthrough.
She said the UN’s COVID 19 Vaccine Availability Plans for African countries and other developing nations, was a follow-up on its numerous intervention programmes in the continent, to ameliorate the devastating impacts of the disease.
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Mohammed stressed that most of the countries being solicited for however needs to intensify their efforts to genuinely cushion the crippling effects of the pandemic on the citizenry, particularly the vulnerable women and children, who are the worse hit of poverty, hunger, and violence across the world.
According to her, “the death issues in many countries, due to violence and internal conflicts, were already a compounding crisis, coupled with the coming of COVID. So, it becomes very expedient to create the avenues to breath for people.
“Unfortunately, this pandemic has not gone. It is still going to be with us for sometime. How we respond to it is what would facilitate the build back process. COVID anywhere is everywhere. So we need to go along to get together,” she added.
Mohammed also explained that “Nigeria has equally become vulnerable, economically, as a result of the COVID 19 lockdown, which has further impoverished the people,” and urged continued efforts to lift millions out of the dungeon of poverty.
According to her, “it is therefore pertinent to ensure that efforts are continued to be made to help people out, especially the poor and vulnerable that have been affected by the COVID lockdown.
“The decision of the United Nations to intervene can not be overemphasized. We have made inroads in Socio investment programs such as education, jobs, health, and promotion of equitable access to justice and all that,” she said.
When asked to underpin what has been responsible for growing unemployment and youth disengagement in Nigeria, given her former position as a special adviser to Nigeria’s President on Policy Implementation, Mohammed said the challenges are interwoven.
According to her, “the issue is a bit of policy and of implementation,” adding that, “but there is also the humanitarian crisis part of it, which is being fuelled by violence and internal conflicts.
“There is also the strong institution dimension, which needs serious improvement… but in all, the young people need to have a job to be able to care for themselves and their loved ones.
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“We have an asset base in women and young people who form the major part of our economy and population. We need to find a better way to engage and empower them, she added”
