Governors charge Nigerian govt to ensure local production of COVID-19 vaccines

Governors of the 36 states in the country have challenged the Federal Government to expedite actions on local production of COVID-19 vaccines.

The Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, disclosed this to State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

He said the governors want the federal government to channel energy and resources towards local production of the vaccines instead of relying on those brought to the country from abroad.

The governor said he raised a number of issues that are of interest to the governors during the meeting with the president.

These, according to him, include security, economy, management of the COVID-19 vaccines, and the general outlook for 2021.

Fayemi said: “For us as governors, the number one priority in vaccine management relates to public health and risk communication. I commended the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for at least, wanting to use Mr. President and the Vice President as their publicity vehicles for reassuring those who may have their doubts about vaccines use that this is no threat to them.

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“You know there are cultural and religious concerns in various parts and we are at the state level, we are reviewing that with all of our colleagues.

“But the good thing is 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 will break down in our various localities. So, we discussed that.

“Of course, procurement of vaccines was also discussed. Our view is that ultimately, we really need to ramp up manufacturing of vaccines locally. It is okay that COVAX that Nigeria is part of is going to be delivering some vaccines to us. As we understand, the first 100,000 and then 43 million and ultimately 165 million doses.

“But there is nothing as good as having the ability to manufacture our own vaccines locally. We understand that there is a partnership with May & Baker, which is important for the Federal Government to really accelerate so that we can produce the vaccines here in Nigeria and not be dependent on what is coming from other parts.”

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