The federal government says it would soon unveil its decision on mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for every employee in its service.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, stated this Thursday in Abuja during the meeting of the Health Commissioners Forum with Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and health partners.
He said the federal government would make vaccination compulsory for federal civil servants once vaccines are available for everyone.
He said, “You should, in the course of this meeting, deliberate on the challenges caused by vaccine hesitancy all over the country. It is expected that you will come with policy alternatives as solutions.
“Let me state, however, that federal government shall, very shortly unveil its decision on mandatory vaccination for every employee in its service.”
He said the country did not have sufficient vaccines at the moment and so will not institute mandatory COVID-19 vaccination immediately.
Mustapha said the mandatory vaccination for federal civil servants has become imperative due to the role they perform not just within the country but also on behalf of the federal government with other countries, some of which have started insisting on compulsory COVID-19 vaccination.
He said that the acquisition of sufficient doses that would enable the country to vaccinate 70% of the population is in progress.
He said over 4.6 million Nigerians have been vaccinated fully or have received the first dose.
The SGF also called on the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to call off its strike, saying any form of strike is unnecessary in the midst of a pandemic.
