There are strong indications that the Federal government may sanction eligible Nigerians who refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccination.
The hint was dropped Tuesday by the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, at a briefing in Abuja.
Shuaib said the government may “apply the basic rule of law” against such people because they will be endangering the lives of others.
He said: “The Presidential Steering Committee and the Federal Ministry of Health are exploring ways of making vaccines more available to all Nigerians including Federal civil servants and corporate entities. Once these vaccines are made equitably available to all Nigerians, we would need to have a frank discussion about justice, fairness and liberty that exist around vaccine hesitancy.
“If some individuals refuse to take the vaccine, hence endangering those who have or those who could not due to medical exemptions, then we have to apply the basic rule of law, which stipulates that your human right stops where mine begins. So, you have a right to refuse vaccines, but you do not have the right to endanger the health of others.”
But regardless of the government’s threat of sanction, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, restrained Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, from denying unvaccinated persons access to banks, places of religious worship and events centre effective mid September.