TheCable

Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have appointed President Muhammadu Buhari as the champion that will coordinate the COVID-19 response in the sub-region. 

The sub-regional heads held a virtual summit on Thursday.

Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, announced the appointment on Twitter.

ECOWAS leaders at an extraordinary summit held by video conference have appointed President Muhammadu Buhari as Champion that will coordinate the COVID-19 response in the sub-region. All the other Presidents will be available to support President Buhari.

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— Femi Adesina (@FemAdesina) April 23, 2020

The organisation held the summit to discuss ongoing efforts at combating COVID-19 by member states.

“The Heads of State will be discussing the Situation and Impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic in the ECOWAS Region. Preceding this Extraordinary Summit, the Ministers in Charge of Finance and the Governors of Central Banks from the Region held a virtual Extraordinary Session on April 21, 2020 on the COVID-19 situation,” it said.

According to updates from the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) as of Tuesday, the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region are 5,774.

But 1,616 patients have recovered from the disease, with 147 deaths recorded in the region.