Representative of Taiwan in Nigeria, H. E. Vincent Yang, on Sunday presented a consignment of medical supplies donated to the government of Cross River State to assist in the current efforts by the Governor Ben Ayade administration to ward-off the COVID-19 pandemic in the State.
The donation was received by the State’s Commissioner for Finance Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr. on behalf of the government of Cross River State in a brief ceremony held at the grounds of Taipei Trade Office in Ikoyi-Lagos.
Representative Yang while handing over the consignment, emphasized that the donation was coming from Taiwan-Africa Business Association (TABA) that had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cross River State government last November during the visit to the State by a 13 member TABA delegation from Taiwan.
Representative Yang stated that in keeping with the spirit and letters of the MOU, members of TABA decided to reach out to Cross River State by donating the medical supplies and PPE for the use of frontline workers in their efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
The Diplomat said that this first consignment will be followed soon by another set of donations of vital medical equipments from Taiwan.
Aside the current assistance to Cross River State, Taiwan has also donated medical PPE to the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
It will be recalled that Governor Ben Ayade, while addressing the visiting TABA delegation that visited Cross River in November last year, urged them to take advantage of the Nigerian market, its new tax regime and available land to invest in the Industrial Park.
Ayade while lauding TABA, said Nigeria’s population of over 200 million provides a viable platform for investors. Ayade had further said “You are a major exporter and we have the market. You need our market; we need your technology.”
The chairman of TABA, Mr. Jeff Sun had assured Governor Ayade that TABA were open to partnership that would be of mutual benefit to the group and African collaborators. TABA has over one hundred members that remain ready to partner with Cross River State.
In his reaction, Cross River State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr while appreciating the donation and the prospects of receiving more medical equipment in the future, reiterated the need for Taiwan to share its successful strategies in containing the pandemic.
It would be noted that Taiwan has only reported 447 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the number of confirmed cases per million people in Taiwan is 18.8, placing the nation at No.168 out of a total of 187 countries. There have been no new domestic cases in eight weeks & Taiwan has decided to ease domestic restrictions.
Taiwan’s success in fighting COVID-19 was due to its strict border controls, a similar strategy deployed by Cross River State. The nation did not issue stay-at-home orders or order general business shutdowns. Having recorded enviable success in containment of COVID-19 the Island nation has been reaching out to friendly countries to share its success and ideas in fighting the pandemic.
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