Follow Us on Google
Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Sidie Mohamed Tunis, has said that the West African region recorded a total number of 1,642 deaths arising from COVID-19 as at July 16, 2020.
Sidie made the disclosure yesterday during the opening ceremony of the Second 2020 Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament held virtually in Abuja.
He noted that the ravages of COVID-19 pandemic continued to afflict the people globally; Africa and the West African sub-region inclusive.
Sidie added that the rate of infection continued to be on the rise, especially in the United State of America, most of Latin America and India.
European countries, Sidie further said, have at least been able to achieve some form of containment, even though the threat of a second wave was very potent.
“Death rates have continued to rise globally. The hope that the summer weather was going to limit the spread was yet to be achieved.
Here in Africa and especially in West Africa, figures have continued to rise. As at 16th July, 2020, the continent recorded a total infection rate of 643, 887. In addition, it recorded 332, 888 recoveries and 13,982 deaths.
“In West Africa, figures for the same day indicated that total confirmed cases stood at 100,900. Total recoveries were 61, 326 and total deaths were 1,642. These figures appear gloomy and disturbing for us, especially since we operate our economies based on daily earning. Consequently, measures put in place, specifically the lockdowns to limit the free spread of the virus were unsustainable. Our people can simply not bear the burden of perpetual lockdown of economic activities with their attendant effects on their daily subsistence,” Sidie said.
The ECOWAS Parliament Speaker however said the Parliament was impressed by the measures taken by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, both collectively and individually to address the spread of the virus and to provide palliatives for the people.
Sidie also said the picture of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was not entirely gloomy even though infection rates were growing daily and deaths were still being recorded from complication associated with the virus.
While further saying that the period of the pandemic has remained a trying period for the world, Sidie added that the psychological effects on individuals were really enormous, as most people were living in anxious moments.
“People are unable to return to their normal lives and are under the threat of being infected daily. The economic effects are yet to be determined, since the pandemic is still raging. I am, however, hopeful that with collaboration and togetherness, we shall come out free and tell the story one day,” Sidie further said.
Also speaking, the President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Edward Amoako Asante, said the court also adopted the virtual sitting after the pandemic forced the adjournment of 71 cases, including 27 judgments and 12 applications for accelerated hearing.
“Since then, we have not looked back as prior to its introduction, we were compelled to update the Court’s Practice Direction and develop the infrastructure for the electronic filing of cases, while building the capacity of staff and the other stakeholders for the effective application of the technology.
“With the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, it is increasingly becoming obvious that we would have to rely on virtual sessions for the foreseeable future beyond the pandemic because for the Court, the technology has the additional benefit of improving citizens’ access, with savings from transportation and associated costs of traveling to Abuja for sessions, not to talk about saving of hotel expenses for both parties and the lawyers,” Asante said.
