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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Effective today, Federal Government workers who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 would be denied access to their offices as directed by the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.
The Federal Government, few weeks ago advised civil servants to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or they would be denied access to public offices effective December 1, 2021.
To avoid that, Federal Government workers, yesterday, rushed to different COVID-19 vaccination centres in Abuja as early as possible to get vaccinated to beat the deadline to get vaccinated or risk unfriendly actions which could include temporary suspension from work.
The workers, as observed, besieged various vaccination centres within and around the federal secretariat, Abuja, to get vaccinated. Some took advantage of the mobile vaccination centres that were set up across Abuja to help the civil servants get vaccinated.
At the mobile vaccination centre, located close to the federal secretariat car park, officials of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) were deployed to sensitise the people on the need to take the vaccine.
Adorned in branded T-shirt with inscription, ‘get vaccinated’, the NOA officials were sharing information and encouraging workers and other people to come get vaccinated.
One of the NOA official, who pleaded anonymity, said the turn out was impressive.
“Our strategy yielded result. We used open vehicles with sound systems and public address system to invite the people to come get vaccinated. We assured the people the vaccine is safe, and urged them to disregard the misinformation circulating in the social media.
“As many that turned up, we attended to them. We politely demanded their details, and give them the vaccine, and advised them on when next to come take their second jab.”
The NOA official confirmed there was sufficient COVID-19 vaccine, and advised unvaccinated persons to take advantage of that and get immunised against COVID-19 and avoid unfriendly actions from the Federal Government enforcement team.
Similarly, at the National Hospital, Abuja, a staff, engaged in the vaccination exercise, confirmed there was increased turn out of masses in the past few days, perhaps, in response to the advice of the Federal Government for its workers to get vaccinated.
Meanwhile, a civil servant, who preferred to be identified as Ishaku, said he took the vaccine at the mobile vaccination centres at the federal secretariat.
He said he was reluctant to get vaccinated because of the false information he was fed with. “But I know better now, and that was why I came out to take the vaccine willingly.”
