A new set of officers, (co-chairs) have been inaugurated to run the affairs of the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA). The event took place at the Skyline Terrace of Oriental Hotel in Lagos. The dignitaries including Chief Executive Officers and policy-makers lighted up the night. They were all dressed in national and international attires.
They all came for one purpose- to witness the inauguration of new co-chairs for NIBUCAA.
Dr Pascal Dozie, a co-chair in his opening address recalled how former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo gave,the private sector a challenge15years ago to tackle HIV/AIDS which was ravaging the entire workforce in East Africa.
He said: “So we in NIBUCAA are the voice of the Nigerian private sector’s response to HIV and AIDS on the premise that businesses have collective leadership role to play in the wide multi-sectoral response to the pandemic and other related ailments.”His speech receivedinstant applause from the audience.
Dozie went further to give details: “I and some people were invited for a breakfast by the president in Abuja. On getting there from Lagos, we sat and when the then President, Chief Obasanjo walked in he said that was the food, all of us should start eating. That alone confused us more on what we were there for. We were all apprehensive. After the breakfast, he asked me to come and sit on his right and another on the left and he then announced himself as the Chair of the coalition, which later was named NiBUCAA, and the other two of us as co-chairs. This is because when the news of HIV/AIDS, ravaging the Eastern part of Africa broke about 14 years ago, former President Olusegun Obasanjo was gripped with fear and sleepless nights. But as a retired military officer, he quickly overcame his emotions and firmly resolved to do something about the situation. That explained why he summoned some of us the Chief Executive Officers (CEO) in the private sector to a breakfast meeting on the 15th of February, 2003 and gave us a marching order to take up the fight against HIV/AIDS. That singular action has blossomed and is giving hope to many families and businesses. The deliberation that day led to the formation of NiBUCAA.”
As the event unfolded that evening, Dr Dozie said the former president regretted not being present at the inauguration due to national assignment, “since I and the co-chair took over the task 14 years ago, our commitment was to support businesses to implement HIV/AIDS workplace programmes and to position members individually as well as collectively to contribute to the national response on HIV pandemic “NiBUCAA has 35 member companies with 29 active. It led the engagement of the Nigerian Business Community in the national health matters thereby enabling it to play a critical role towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Giving the success stories and achievements of NiBUCAA, acting Executive Secretary, Gbenga A Alabi identified Public-Private Partnership Project with Private Investors in Africa/German Technical Cooperation (PIA/GTZ) to implement Workplace Project in nine Companies between October 2007 to September 2010, USAID/ENHANSE Project to support institutionalisation of HIV/AIDS Workplace Programme and Policies in six SMEs in Kaduna and Lagos States, Sub-recipient to NACA on the Global Fund HIV/AIDS Round Five for two years- between years 2007 and 2009), Direct funding (cashless support) to conduct KABP studies in SMEs in Kaduna and Lagos states 2007 by Partners Against AIDS (PAA) Support, Wellness/Positive Living training Course held in 2006/2007 and Greater involvement of People Living with AIDS (GIPA) orientation training (2006), Global Fund Partners Against AIDS (PAA) support made the tenure of the co-chairs exciting.
Alabi said the challenges confronting the coalition include dwindling donor support, untimely/non payment of membership subscription fees, non partnership with NiBUCAA by some member companies, no sense of ownership of NiBUCAA by members, and poor documentation /record of NiBUCAA activities in some member organisations among other reasons.
He appealed that for NiBUCAA to be more vibrant, there is an urgent need to buy in and support by CEOs of member companies, re-awaken members’ commitment and passion for the Coalition, need to hold regular Roundtable Meetings, add value to members CSR activities, build alliance and cooperation with relevant organisations and mobilise resource for addressing gaps in national response on HIV/AIDS.
MD/Country Manager of CFAO Nigeria Thomas Pelletier and MD of APM terminals Apapa Limited, Martin Jacob were part of the guests that graced the occassion.
In his acceptance speech after the induction, the co-Chair of NiBUCAA, Dr. Herbert Wigwe said: “The starting point for us is to reduce the rate of infection, and move on to provide treatment and make people understand basic things that can help prevent the pandemic. It’s all about education, but we cannot achieve this goal ourselves; we need collaboration from cooperate organisation. It is important for all of us to know that the fight against HIV and AIDS is not an option, it’s necessary for each and every one of us to fight it and I will explain why, in the continent we have about four million cases of HIV and 70 percent exist in Sub-Sahara Africa. Every year, we lose about a million precious children and adult to HIV, it could be anybody.”
On his part, another co-Chair, Mr. Nicolas Terraz said: “We are going to ensure re-awakening of members’ commitment and passion for the coalition, regular roundtable meetings, adding value to members CSR activities, resource mobilisation for addressing gaps in national response on HIV & AIDS.”
