The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and six states convened a security summit in Abuja on Thursday under the auspices of the G7 to discuss how to respond to the country’s rising insecurity.
The G7 Security Summit was attended by the FCT Police Commissioner, as well as his colleagues from Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Niger States.
The meeting, which took place at the Nigeria Police Officers Mess, was attended by DSS officers from Kogi and Benue, as well as the Director Security Service, FCTA, and FCT Commandant (NSCDC).
The conference was called to discuss concerns such as kidnapping, banditry, livestock rustling, and other criminality, according to Babaji Sunday, the FCT Commissioner of Police and Chairman of the G7 Technical Committee.
He underlined the need of working together with all sister agencies to prevent criminal activity.
He hinted that, “That is why we are meeting to strategize to address the challenges now that we banditry and cattle rustling and other criminality”.
Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, termed the country’s security challenges as “hydra-headed” and “unique in Nigerian history.”
He urged the G7 governors to equip various security services in response to the increased security challenges.
He urged the Commissioners of Police, top officials from the FCTA Department of Security Service, the military, and other security organizations to take the discussions seriously in order to preserve the states and the country from a terrible wave of insecurity.
Adesola urged the G7 countries to protect the FCT from criminality and violence.
According to him; “It is very instructive that we all come to terms with the ugly and horrifying security situation bedeviling the G7 States in particular and the nation at large. Bluntly speaking, we are faced and challenged with a situation that is not only hydra-headed, but quite unprecedented in the history of our country.
“This meeting couldn’t have come at a better time than now, given the present insecurity challenges and criminality in our nation today.
“We should bear in mind that Abuja is the Nation’s Capital City and as such we all do have a common stake to protect the FCT from being vulnerable to any act of criminality and attack. It Is Important to remind us that Abuja, aside from being the seat of the Federal Government, is equally playing host to foreign Embassies and high Commissions of many countries of the world.
“The city of Abuja, strategically is the gateway of the nation and the symbol of Unity to all tribes of the nations. Therefore, any major security breach or criminal act will be a gross embarrassment to the country”.
In addition, the Director, Department of Security Services, FCTA, Malam Adamu Gwary said that the FCT administration will do everything possible to ensure safety in Abuja and its environs.
He added that, “We want to come together to forge a common front particularly on cross border crimes. We want to have a common front on information sharing”.
More so, the Nasarawa State Police Commissioner , Adesina Shoyemi said “The people who come to Abuja find out that they cannot cope and move to the suburb, which is why we need to monitor properly. We are combing the nooks and cranies of the state and very soon all the criminals will be arrested”.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FCT Commandant, Dr. Peter Maigari said the meeting will focus on collaboration with other agencies through synergy.
The Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) organized a one-day sensitization training in Abuja for heads of secretariats, departments, and agencies.
The workshop’s goal is to rid the FCT Administration of corrupt practices.
Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), remarked that in order to tackle corruption effectively, all hands must be on deck.
He took advantage of the opportunity to remind public officers in the FCT Administration to follow Public Service Rules when performing official duties, while also stating that the FCT Administration had already institutionalized good working ethics and international best practices, resulting in stronger institutions.
He further added that the FCT Administration’s recent great performance in the ICPC’s Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies is a reflection of the FCT Administration’s whole staff’s hard work and dedication.
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, had earlier remarked in his goodwill message that the FCT Administration has shown tremendous dedication to the fight against corruption.
The Chairman, who was represented by ICPC Director of Systems Study Review Barrister Abia Udofia, said that the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit is not trying to persecute any company or individual, but rather to assist the government in ensuring that things are done appropriately.
FCTA ACTU is active and leading the anti-corruption battle in the FCT, according to him.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Mr. Olusade Adesola, stated in his remarks that the current administration has been vigorously combatting corruption for the past six years, with a remarkable track record of achievement.
According to him, corruption is a cankerworm that has a great potential to destroy any Administration’s progressive progress and advancement.
According to the Permanent Secretary, the FCT Administration has adopted anti-corruption policies and initiatives to ensure that personnel adhere to established government norms and procedures.
The destructive impact of corruption on the nation’s economy and prosperity, according to Mr. Udo Samuel Atang, Director in the Office of the FCTA Permanent Secretary, underlines the fight against corruption in government institutions.
He continued, “The approval of the sensitization effort by the FCT Administration’s authorities is a clear show of the Administration’s willingness to nip the issue of corruption in the bud.”
As the third wave pandemic winds down, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, highlighted that weekly COVID-19 infections in Africa had declined by more than 20%, the greatest seven-day drop in two months.
However, due to the impact of more transmissible variations, the rate of slowing is slower than in prior rounds.
According to the report, the continent registered over 165 000 cases in the week ending September 5th, a 23 percent decline from the previous week but still more than the weekly instances recorded at the peak of the first wave.
The more contagious Delta variant that partly fuelled the third wave has been dominant in several countries that experienced COVID-19 surge. In southern Africa, for instance, where more than 4000 COVID-19 genome sequencing data was produced in August, the Delta variant was detected in over 70% of samples from Botswana, Malawi and South Africa, and in over 90% from Zimbabwe.
Moeti made this known during a virtual press conference on Thursday, facilitated by APO Group. She was joined by Professor Alan Christoffels, Director of the South African National Bioinformatics Institute, and Dr Christian Happi, Professor of Molecular Biology and Genomics and Director at the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases at Redeemer’s University in Nigeria.
Her words; “While COVID-19 cases have declined appreciably, the downward trend is frustratingly slow due to the lingering effects of the more infectious Delta variant.”
“We are spearheading critical work and supporting countries in scaling up pathogen surveillance through genome sequencing to detect and respond effectively to COVID-19 variants.”
“In collaboration with the South African National Bioinformatics Institute, WHO is at the forefront of the efforts to set up the Regional Centre of Excellence for Genomic Surveillance and Bioinformatics in Cape Town. The centre will support 14 countries before being expanded to serve more countries. Last year, WHO and partners established a COVID-19 sequencing laboratory network in Africa which has to date produced nearly 40 000 sequencing data.
“The continent lags far behind the rest of the world when it comes to sequencing, with only 1% of over 3 million COVID-19 sequences conducted worldwide occurring in Africa.
“The third wave has shown us how variants can hijack the efforts to tame the pandemic. Countries must step up surveillance because without genomic information, variants can spread undetected. You can’t fix what you don’t measure.”
Moeti hinted that, WHO has also recently provided financial support to countries including Eswatini, Sao Tome and Principe and Senegal to reinforce genomic surveillance. To date, the dominant Delta variant has been detected in 31 African countries, while the Alpha and Beta variants have respectively been identified in 44 and 39 countries.
The C.1.2 variant initially identified in South Africa has so far been detected in 130 cases in 10 countries globally, including five in Africa. Although the variant has exhibited concerning mutations, there is no evidence that it is more transmissible or may affect vaccine efficacy, but more research is needed.
As Africa’s third COVID-19 pandemic wave eases off, vaccine shipments to the continent continue to grow, with around 5.5 million doses received through COVAX in the first week of September. However, only around 3% of the continent’s population is fully vaccinated.
“To ultimately tip the scales against this pandemic, our best efforts to reduce transmission through public health measures must be met by a significant step-up in vaccine supplies and vaccinations,” Dr Moeti said.
Also on hand to respond to questions were Dr Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi, Regional Virologist, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Richard Mihigo, Coordinator, Immunization and Vaccines Development Programme, WHO Regional Office for Africa, and Dr Thierno Balde, Regional COVID-19 Deputy Incident Manager, WHO Regional Office for Africa.
Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has reaffirmed the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) commitment to developing rural communities, in line with presidential deliverables.
She said this at the official inauguration of landmark projects carried out by the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), noting that the FCT Administration has stayed focused on completing all projects rather than abandoning any, in keeping with the current administration’s policy of continuity.
The newly constructed office block, Jiwa Community Town Hall, Primary Health Care Centre at AMAC Housing Estate in Sabo Lube, and Block of Classrooms at Zhidna are among the projects inaugurated by the minister.
Aliyu noted that while the government strives to provide essential infrastructure and maintain existing ones, given the limited resources at its disposal, it cannot do so alone, and she urged residents of benefiting communities to justify the government’s investment in their communities by ensuring proper maintenance of these projects for the areas’ overall development.
According to him ; “In line with the current Administration’s philosophy of continuity, we in the FCT Administration have remained focused on completing every project rather than abandoning any.
“As we proceed on the onerous task of developing the FCT and meeting the yearnings of its growing population, I wish to reiterate the commitment that we shall continue to do our best in the FCT Administration to break new frontiers in pursuit of excellence. Governance is centred on service delivery and our mandate demands no less”.
Aliyu, however, commended the leadership of Abuja Municipal Area Council for taking the lead in infrastructural provisions to rural communities, while urging other area councils to follow suit.
Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido, said the quest towards the development of the area council has assumed a holistic approach that spanned across human and infrastructural development, assuring that the council remain undaunted to service delivery.
He called on all and sundry to join hands with the council in the building process, the council boss also called on opposition to desist from “pull him down syndrome” so that the leadership of the council could deliver the much desired dividends of democracy to the people.
Other projects to be completed according to him include the Karshi Community Plaza, the Karshi Community Radio, amongst others.
The Lagos State Police Command has detained three male suspects in the grisly murder of Morenikeji Stephen Oluwaniyi, a 27-year-old Uber driver, and the theft of his Toyota Corolla saloon car.
The offenders were apprehended by detectives attached to the Meiran Police Division, Lagos State, according to a statement issued by the Command’s Spokesperson, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu.
He stated that: “the suspects, Rilwan Nasiru, 27; Sodiq Taiwo, 23 and Oladimeji, 20 booked UBER service online, lured the driver to Meiran area and strangled him to death. The suspects, after the dastardly act, dumped his body on the Abule Egba bridge, along the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway and made away with his Toyota Corolla Saloon car with Reg. No. KSF 830 GX.
Following a report by victim’s fiancée at the Police Division on 6th September, 2021, detectives immediately put in motion investigation mechanisms which led to the arrest of the suspects in their criminal hideouts, and recovery of the stolen car.
“The Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, pleased with the breakthrough but saddened by the incident, has directed that the case should be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police while commiserating with the victim’s family, has assured that no stone would be left unturned to diligently prosecute the case. He further admonishes UBER drivers and others operating a similar business to be security conscious always and be wary of the passengers who patronize them.
Governors elected on the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) platform have stated they will present their resolutions to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on Thursday, ahead of the party’s national convention.
During their meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, the governors were briefed by former governors, ministers, and lawmakers. They also met with the party’s candidate for the governorship election in Anambra, Valentine Ozigbo.
The party will announce the composition of its national convention committee members at its NEC meeting on Thursday. The national convention is set for October 30th.
“You will hear from us at the NEC meeting tomorrow (Thursday),” Aminu Tambuwal, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Sokoto state governor, told reporters shortly after the meeting, which lasted more than six hours.
He also stated that the party is on track in regards to the November 6 governorship election in Anambra.
Recall that the governors called an unusual meeting on Tuesday to discuss concerns plaguing the party.
Prior to the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday, the governors announced that they will address party concerns and tactics to reposition the PDP.
The governors had in a statement by its Director General, CID Maduabum, explained that the extraordinary meeting “will discuss party matters and strategies to reposition the PDP ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party taking place tomorrow, 9th September, 2021.”
The PDP Governors had further re-assured all PDP members, stakeholders and the nation of their commitment, determination and loyalty in the patriotic task of dislodging the failed APC government that has brought nothing but misery and pain to all Nigerians.
The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) has threatened to shut down all Globacom Nigeria Limited offices in Abuja due to a N1.3 billion telecommunications duct debt.
As a result, the Authority has set the telco a seven-day deadline to pay or face having their business and switch premises shut down.
Hussein Monguno, Chairman, Finance and General Purpose Committee of the 7th FCDA board, told journalists during a visit to some of the telecommunications’ critical infrastructures in Abuja that the move was part of the effort to recover the over N7.8 billion debt owed to FCDA by several telecommunication companies.
He claims Globacom has never paid the leasing agreement since the beginning of complete deregulation of the telecommunication duct network in 2004.
Monguno believes Globacom Nigeria Limited has failed to demonstrate any commitment, despite other telecoms companies responding positively
According to him; “When we were sworn in to this board, the minister find it necessary to constitute a committee for debt recovery. When the committee was constituted.
“There are about 7.8 billion naira or thereabout debt, being owed to FCDA by different telecommunication companies, we wrote them a letter. We invited them to come and either accept or disagree with the billing system because FCDA has a very good billing system.
“Some of them actually paid. As I speak now, MTN is actually on credit, and several others have payed, but the case of Glo is quite different. They have never responded and they are the highest debtors of N1.3 billion.
“FCDA has built this infrastructure to give them an enabling environment to operate. They have to reciprocate our effort by paying for the service. So, if they don’t pay the debt, we know what to do. They have signed an agreement, and the content of the agreement is very rich. We can do quite a lot, we can seal up this place and we can also disconnect them.
When asked on the negative impact the disconnection would cause its customers, the Chairman said “subscribers can choose to go to other network. Why will you have a network that will not be able to pay their debt?”
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Zaliha’u Ahmed, said all efforts made to recover this debt has failed and every attempt to get M/s Globacom Nigeria Limited to reason with FCDA and make payments of their indebtedness has fallen on deaf ears.
She hinted that, Globacom’s indebtedness to FCDA on the lease of telecommunications duct amount to N1.3 billion.
Her words; “We will not hesitate to seal up all their operations, with a view to ensure that they pay the debts.
“For the past six months, we have been writing them. We have written several letters and several reminders. We have invited them for meetings, but they disregard all these, so we don’t have any other option than to do what we are doing.
“If we conceal their operations, maybe it will send a message and it’s not only to Globacom but to anybody that refuses to pay the statutory services.”
The Executive Secretary explained that liberalization of the telecommunication industry in the country commenced in the year 2000 while the FCDA commenced full liberalization of the authority’s telecommunication duct network in the 2004.
She said that the district infrastructure provided in the FCT is of world class and it is composite in nature (encompass all the infrastructure above and those Underground).
“The Telecommunication Duct Network in the Federal Capital Territory is one of the underground infrastructure provided to house the Telecommunication Industry.
“Each and all telecommunication service providers are allowed to lease 1/4 duct space in the available duct network provided in the city at a token.
“Over the years, many Telecommunication service providers has leased the various length of telecommunication duct in the Federal Capital Territory spanning across the developed districts of the Federal Capital City (FCC) of which one of such lessee is M/s Globacom Nigeria Limited with commencement date of 2004.
“However it is pertinent to note that M/s Globacom Nigeria Limited being an indigenous National Telecommunications carrier has over the years defaulted in the renewal of the “lease rate as agreed in the agreement entered with the Authority”.
“In 2018 the 7th FCDA Board, brought to the notice that M/s Globacom Nigeria Limited indebtedness to the FCDA on the lease of Telecommunication Duct is in the tune of N755,389,830.54 Million and this continues to grow as the years elapsed to N1,337,441,027.60.
She also hinted that ; “Efforts made to recover this debt has failed and every attempt to get M/s Globacom Nigeria Limited to reason with FCDA and make payments of their indebtedness has fallen on deaf ears.
“The Authority issued a warning letter to M/s Globacom Nigeria Limited has equally received no response.
“This has left the Authority with no choice but to give M/s Globacom Nigeria Limited business premises, reiterating the Authorities desire to recover its indebtedness or face their business and switch premises being sealed up.
“Globacom Nigeria Limited is hereby given 7 working days to make payment to the authority or face being sealed up. This is just the beginning of the recovery of the authority’s Debt owed by the Telecommunication Industry.” She said
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) stepped up its anti-crime efforts in the Mpape neighborhood, dismantling various illegal marketplaces, warehouses, and a scrap dumps.
The demolition in Mpape will continue until the second quarter of next year or until the administration is satisfied that the residents are ready to comply with Town Planning Acts, according to the Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, Comrade Ikharo Attah, who was fielding questions from journalists in Mpape, Abuja.
He said, “Today work is a little massive than we thought because we removed some massive structures, that are on the roadside, no allocation, no building plan, no papers at all and they harbour the pantakers and criminals that led to the blocking of the road.
“Knowing that the structures are blocking the road and knowing they don’t have document we had to come in here. The road market at Mpape has been a problem, youg saw what we saw this morning , the place was impassible, we have notified the Bwari Area Council Chairman, Mr John Gabaya, and he promised to rebuild the market and make it modern .
“We told him that the market cannot be by the roadside, the market must give way because it was impeding the free flow of traffic and more than 85% of the market have been converted to residential shanties, and that contravenes the urban and regional planning Acts, so we came in here to actually remove them and you can see the work we have done today and Mpape is looking cleaner everyday.
” From the way we are seeing Mpape, it may enter 2nd quaters of next year. Once we clear Mpape, we see them coming back. We will not stop coming until Mpape residents comply with Town planning Act and Land use Act”.
Speaking on the issue of security and resistance, he said only two people were arrested and they were suspected to be high on drugs and they would be handed over to the security agencies.
While also speaking on the side occupied by indigenes, he said, “The other side is the organic settlement but we have cleared the roadside, we had to clear the obstruction on the roadside. They are suppose to take 20 meters from both side but we had to reduce it to 7 meters pending the time they the indigenes are resettle or relocated or reintegrated into the FCT”.
Similarly , the Commander, Joint Security Team, ASP Idowu Azeez, said only 3 people were arrested, someone that was trying to incite people and the other that was caught with dangerous weapon and has been taken to the station for profiling.
More so, the Secretary FCT, Command and Control Department of Security Services , Mr Peter Olumuji, said the shanties constituted security threat to the community, saying, residents had complained to them that their children were being raped.
Fatima Waziri-Azi, Ph.D has been appointed Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This follows the Hon. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq’s recommendation that the Ministry “urgently need to intensify existing capacity in the NAPTIP in order to achieve its Key Result Areas as identified.”
Fatima Waziri-Azi was recommended based on her “pedigree, significant experience, and established track record to take the agency ahead and consolidate on what has been accomplished thus far,” she said.
Waziri-Azi is a Women’s Rights advocate, a campaigner against domestic and sexual violence, and an expert in Rule of Law. She is the former Head of Department of Public Law at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.
Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), has stated that the Delta variant is highly contagious, more than twice as contagious as previous COVID-19 variants, and that the longer a community/society goes without vaccination, the more likely the virus will mutate into more virulent forms.
Furthermore, we have vaccines that halt the mutation process and prevent disease-related fatalities.
As a result, he encourages us to take advantage of the federal government’s efforts to keep residents safe and secure from the virus.
Shuaib gave this hinted on Tuesday while addressing journalists on the status of Nigeria’s phase II COVID-19 immunization rollout.
According to him , “I am glad to inform you that our phase II COVID-19 vaccination with Moderna and AstraZeneca has now fully commenced in all the 36 states and FCT. I want to particularly urge all those who received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine before 8th July, 2021 to visit the nearest designated health facility and receive their 2nd dose. The list of vaccination sites across the country is available on the NPHCDA website. It has also been published in the Daily Trust and The Nation newspapers.
“As of 6th September 2021, a total of 3,600,858 eligible Nigerians have so far received their 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine. This is made up of 2,551,738 persons vaccinated with AstraZeneca vaccine and 1,049,120 persons vaccinated with Moderna vaccine. Therefore, 1,576,011 persons have been fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca vaccine. We have now restarted the administration of AstraZeneca as first dose in all designated health facilities. The decision to re-open AstraZeneca for first dose administration is hinged on the fact that we received an additional 1,394,480 doses of vaccines through the COVAX facility. You may recall that at previous briefings I did inform you that as we receive additional supplies, we will open it up for first dose administration.
“We also received 1,123,200 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine late evening on Saturday 4th September 2021 through the AVATT platform, coordinated by the African Union Commission, as part of the 39,800,000 doses procured by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The NAFDAC team have already taken samples for analysis and are currently scanning the codes to ensure proper serialization of the vaccine.
“In recognition of the fact that some workers may find it difficult to leave their duty post to the vaccination site, we have introduced and expanded in-situ corporate vaccination. This entails making special arrangement for eligible staff, dependants and retirees of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government (MDAs) and the private sector to get vaccinated in their office premises.
“MDAs, public and private corporate organization that require staff to be vaccinated should visit www.nphcda.gov.ng to fill the request form. These services would be provided at no cost to the Ministries, agency/cooperate bodies. States and LGAs should please note that no fees/levies should be mandated from the cooperate bodies when teams are sent to provide these services”, he said.
Shuaib further hinted that, “There have been questions raised by some, about a few vaccinated individuals who have contracted COVID-19 infection. Where such rare cases of COVID-19 infection occur in individuals who have received the vaccination more than 14 days prior, it is called breakthrough infection. The observation is that in these individuals, the disease is usually milder than those who were unvaccinated. Vaccination prevents one from severe disease, hospitalization and death. If our communities continue to remain unvaccinated, we will keep endangering our citizens most especially those who are vulnerable, elderly or immunocompromised. I encourage us to be our brother’s keepers and adhere to all measures to not just protect ourselves, but our loved ones, friends and communities. Taking the jab is a first step towards taking responsibility.”
NPHCDA boss added that, they have been inundated with questions about why the UK insists Nigerians who have been fully vaccinated are still required to isolate upon arrival in the UK. The reason is quite simple: We in Nigeria also require fully vaccinated UK citizens to isolate for seven days despite being fully vaccinated. In diplomatic circles, this is often referred to as the principle of reciprocity. Nigeria alongside countries like France and the Netherlands are listed as amber countries by the UK Government based on criteria such as the number of populations immunized and incidence rates of COVID-19 infection. Individuals from Countries listed as amber countries are required by the UK Government to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival and be quarantined for a few days. Regardless of a vaccine type or vaccination status, if a Nigerian with a Nigerian passport travels to a Country on their green list and spends 14 days there before going to the UK, they would not be quarantined in the UK because they are coming from a green listed country. Likewise, if a German or Australian that is currently from their green listed country travels to a country like France, Ghana or Italy which is on their amber list like Nigeria, and such an individual spends 14 days or more in these countries before departing to the UK, such an individual would be made to do a COVID-19 test and quarantined, regardless of their vaccination status. Just like Nigeria, every Country has its own COVID-19 travel rules, protocols and guidelines for travellers coming from other Countries. So, this should be a motivation for all eligible Nigerians to get vaccinated, in order for us to increase our population coverage and return back to normalcy.
Also speaking on the issue of recognizing the Indian made Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine also known as Covishield, this is really more of a documentation matter, rather than a quality issue. We got these vaccines through WHO and COVAX. So COVAX and WHO are pursuing the issue across the globe, rather than each Country addressing it separately. The WHO and COVAX have so far gotten 15 Countries to recognize the Covishield vaccine. They are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. They are working on getting more countries to recognize the documentation.
He however stated that finally, we should all remember, no country is safe until all countries achieve herd immunity. He urged you all to remain vigilant of mischief makers who have now resorted to producing fake news on COVID-19 vaccination. A lot of time, energy and resources have been invested by Nigeria and the rest of the world to end this pandemic. It is therefore incumbent on us to ensure the success of this vaccination campaign by arming ourselves with correct and reliable information and resisting every attempt to be misguided on COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination. The conspiracies around COVID-19 vaccines are exactly what they are: mere conspiracy theories that are not based on verifiable evidence. If we interrogate these theories carefully, we will come to the realization that they are carefully worded to mislead. Therefore, we should disregard them completely because we know better, he stated.
Similarly , the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo said globally, WHO is calling for a moratorium on boosters until at least the end of September, to enable at least 10% of the population of every country to be vaccinated.
He added that, vaccine injustice is a shame on all humanity and if we don’t tackle it together, we will prolong the acute stage of this pandemic for years when it could be over in a matter of months.
According to him; “In Africa, the third wave appears to have stabilized but the number of new cases is still very high with almost 248 000 reported in the past week.
“The trend we see is that each new wave strikes Africa faster and harder, reaching a higher number of new cases more rapidly than the previous wave. This puts an increasing strain on already stretched health facilities and health workers.
“It is useful to point out that vaccine supplies to Africa continue to rise, spurring vaccine uptake.
“The increasing vaccine supplies raise hopes that the continent will meet the target of vaccinating 10% of the population by the end of September”, he stressed.
