Wali: Ebola not enough reason to cancel NBA conference

Despite attempts to discourage the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from holding its annual general conference in order to prevent the spread of Ebola Virus Disease, the NBA has vowed to go ahead with the programme, scheduled for August 24 to August 29 in Owerri, capital of Imo state.

Professor Chidi Odinkalu, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), one of the speakers at the event had kicked against holding the programme, saying that doing so could be seen as not only flouting the directive of the World Health Organisation and the federal government but exposing participants to the risk of contracting the highly-contagious disease.

He threatened to boycott the event should NBA proceed with it, and he encouraged other participants to withdraw.

But Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), president of NBA, has said that the body will hold the programme, assuring participants of their safety.

He said the leadership of NBA had put in place necessary measures to guarantee the well-being of the participants, pointing out that even though about 10,000 lawyers were expected to attend the event, there would not be a sitting of more than 2,000 people in the same venue throughout the event.

“It is on record that ever since the outbreak of Ebola, there have been larger gathering of people at the same venue at the same time like churches, mosques, religious crusades, political rallies,” he said.

“At these gatherings, they always experience the minimum number of 5,000 people at the same time. There is no NBA session at the annual general conference that has more than 2,000 persons at the same time. Therefore the 2014 annual general conference in Owerri, Imo state, is safe.

“Please further note that all the conference participants do not gather at the same venue at the same time. They are usually spread out in different sessions going on simultaneously.”

Wali, who identified Imo as one of the states that haven’t yet recorded an Ebola case, stated that the NBA would partner with relevant bodies in the aviation sector to ensure surveillance at the airports, urging its members to maintain higher standard of hygiene.