August 31, (THEWILL) – In an apparent move to enforce Governor Godwin Obaseki’s compulsory vaccination in Edo State, civil servants in the Ministry of Health have been issued a seven-day ultimatum to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The ultimatum was contained in a memo dated August 30, with reference number HA.429/1/16, issued by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Frederick Irabor.
It warned that any staffer who failed to heed the directive would not be allowed into office.
“I am directed to refer to the above subject and to notify all Staff of Ministry of health to get vaccinated against the deadly COVID-19 within the week. I am further directed to inform all that from Monday 6 September 2021, any staff who has not taken the COVID-19 Vaccine will not be allowed into the office premises,” the memo said.
COVID-19 related deaths have risen to 11 in Edo, while 92 new infections were confirmed on Monday.
The state COVID-19 Incident Manager, Andrew Obi, who disclosed this in Benin City, said all deaths recorded in the third wave of the virus were of unvaccinated persons.
THEWILL reports that Gov. Godwin Obaseki had mandated people of the state to take the vaccine. The governor, who announced this on Thursday, said that from Sept. 15, no one who had yet to take the vaccine would be allowed into public places, such as banks and worship centres.
On Monday, a coalition of civil society organisations staged a protest in Benin against the directive.
Led by Chris Iyama, the group insisted that the recent directive by the Governor infringes on their Fundamental Human Rights.
They resisted what they described as forceful vaccination and vaccine profiling and issued a seven-day ultimatum for the Governor to rescind the decision
“Governor Obaseki must rescind his decision. That decision will not stand. The governor did not seek our opinion. We are giving the governor seven days,” Iyama said.
