Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum Kayode Fayemi on Friday said all governors have agreed to take the COVID-19 vaccine on live television to help drive acceptance among the populace.
Fayemi, who is also Ekiti State governor, made this known in Abuja when he fielded questions from State House correspondents at the end of a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We too will like to demonstrate to our citizens that we believe that vaccines will work,” he said.
“The governors’ forum managed the polio vaccines administration in the country and we have garnered a lot of experience.
“We have worked with the Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the Federal Ministry of Health.
“We will be happy to work with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Presidential Task Force (PTF) and the Primary Healthcare Development Agency on this as well.
“So, we would take a lead as well in our various states.”
Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Faisal Shuaib had said on Thursday at the briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja that the president, his vice and other prominent Nigerians had expressed readiness to receive the vaccine on live television.
Nigeria intends to get 42 million COVID-19 vaccines to cover one-fifth of its population through the global COVAX scheme.
The initial vaccines would come as part of Nigeria’s plan to inoculate 40 per cent of the population in 2021 and another 30 per cent in 2022 with 100,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine expected to arrive in the country by the end of January 2021.
Fayemi commended the PTF on COVID-19 for resolving to use the president and the vice president as the publicity vehicles for reassuring those who might have doubts about the vaccines.
“But the good thing is that Mr President has agreed with me that he would convey to the PTF the necessity of using other influencers.
“Maybe the chief imams, the bishops, top musicians and our sports personalities.
“The more of such people are seen taking the vaccines, the more the likelihood of resistance break down in our various localities,” Fayemi added.
