VZCZCXRO1584
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHUJA #0128/01 0291524
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291523Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0111
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0090
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0037

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000128 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SCUL KPAO HA NI
SUBJECT: HAITI DISASTER COMPETES WITH DOMESTIC PRIORITIES, BUT 
NIGERIANS STILL DONATE 
 
REF: STATE 6918 
 
¶1. (U) Nigeria media were initially slow to report on the 
earthquake in Haiti.  Initial reports largely derived from wire 
services and contained limited factual reporting on U.S. support of 
relief efforts.  Early reporting and editorials largely criticized 
the failure of the Nigerian Government (GON) to respond and offer 
assistance.  An editorial in the January 18 "Punch" newspaper 
("Helping Haiti") was typical:  "It is time to take that 
humanitarian side of us into the new decade.  We urge Vice 
President Goodluck Jonathan to, without delay, dispatch Nigerian 
troops to Haiti to help in the rescue operations.  Medical and 
paramedical personnel should accompany the soldiers. Many other 
countries have committed immense resources; there is no reason why 
Nigeria should not be prominent on that list ... It is not only the 
government that can help.  Individuals and businesses should 
contribute cash and materials for onward shipment to Haiti." 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) Per reftel, POLOFF contacted the Nigerian Foreign Ministry 
(MFA) to determine Nigeria's assistance to the Haiti earthquake 
relief effort.  According to MFA Regions Department Director 
Vincent Okedion, the GON planned to donate $1.5 million in funding. 
Okedion told PolOff January 27 that his government had not yet 
decided the mechanism or organization to which these funds would be 
allocated, but that "the donation would be sent soon."  In addition 
to the federal government's contribution, Senior Special Assistant 
on Foreign Relations Toyin Caxton-Martins of the Lagos State 
Government informed PolOffs January 21 that the Rivers State 
Government Executive Council decided to donate one million dollars 
to Haiti disaster relief efforts.  All Rivers State cabinet members 
pledged personal donations of one thousand dollars each.  According 
to Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amechi, the state planned to send 
donations through President Obama's Haiti Initiative headed by 
former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush "to ensure that 
the money and items get sent directly to the people of Haiti." 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) Soon afterward, Nigerian media reported GON donations, with 
the "The Guardian" reporting January 21 that Senate President David 
Mark announced a one-million dollar donation to the people and 
government of Haiti "to ameliorate the pains of the massive 
earthquake that ravaged the country."  "Leadership" also reported 
January 21 that the House of Representatives planned to contribute 
about 50,000 dollars, with each of the 360 House members expected 
to contribute close to 150 dollars each.  BBC Hausa Service 
reported January 22 that Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe had 
travelled to New York to present the GON's donation of 1.5 million 
dollars for Haiti through the United Nations.  Maduekwe told the 
BBC that the GON "will come out with a plan on how individuals and 
organizations can donate to relief efforts in Haiti," and added 
that the country "will also send professionals like doctors and 
engineers to assist in reconstruction efforts later." 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) To focus Nigerian media on the U.S. humanitarian relief 
effort in Haiti, Mission Nigeria sent an SMS blast on January 15 
with a link to the U.S. Haiti relief page on America.gov to key 
Nigerian media contacts.  This triggered coverage in some weekend 
papers, positively highlighting U.S. assistance.  Mission sent an 
updated USAID Fact Sheet number six and the Haiti Photo Gallery 
January 20 to highlight the U.S. "diplomacy of deeds" and encourage 
accurate reporting showcasing U.S. humanitarian relief efforts in 
Haiti.  Editorial and op-ed pieces carried divergent views on U.S. 
humanitarian efforts, with the majority carrying positive coverage 
reflecting information from the materials to which the Mission had 
earlier directed them.  An opinion article entitled "Haiti: A 
global human tragedy" by Orji Uzor Kalu in the January 23 "Sun" is 
typical:  "The United States has demonstrated rare generosity and 
brotherliness by the massive number of personnel it has drafted to 
Haiti to help in the search and rescue operations.  This is aside 
from the 100 million it pledged in aid and reconstruction." 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) As the story developed, we observed further placements of 
U.S. public diplomacy materials, and media reports consistently 
highlighted U.S. relief efforts in largely positive terms, although 
a few, less influential local media reprinted some of the initial 
negative international press stories.  The U.S. Mission is also 
using the presence of a senior Nigerian naval officer on the Africa 
Partnership Station ship USS "Gunston Hall," redeployed to Haiti, 
to highlight U.S. support.  We placed a photo of U.S. and Nigerian 
naval personnel in Haiti and arranged a telephone interview January 
26 between the Nigerian press and the Nigerian naval officer. 
 
 
 
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COMMENT 
 
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¶6. (SBU) Overall, media coverage of the earthquake in Haiti 
continued to take a back seat to several high-profile domestic 
issues, including the January 17 outbreak of  communal violence in 
Jos.  END COMMENT. 
SANDERS