Chairman of Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 pandemic and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr. Boss Mustapha has debunked insinuations that the vaccine for the virus was developed to kill Africans.
Mustapha spoke on Tuesday at the inauguration of the State House Clinic Special Care Centre (COVID-19 Isolation Centre), Abuja.
Dismissing the conspiracy theories concerning the vaccines, Mustapha said: ‘‘I don’t believe anyone will spend billions of dollars in manufacturing vaccines to kill us in Africa.’’
According to a statement issued by Deputy Director of Information in the State House, Attah Esa, the SGF spoke on the efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines to be procured for Nigeria.
He added that the Federal Government would keep encouraging Nigerians to get vaccinated when the time comes, because ‘‘the vaccines are safe, effective and for our benefit”.
“We will appeal and explain to our people that if you do not take the vaccine, the danger of falling terribly sick and eventually dying is there.
‘‘We will be blunt to them that if you don’t take the COVID-19 vaccine, you may not be able to go anywhere in the world very soon. Even when you want to go and perform your spiritual obligation, that will be subjected to your COVID-19 status,” he said.
On the new facility being inaugurated, Mustapha hinted that a testing laboratory for the virus would soon be established at the State House Clinic.
He said the Buhari-led administration was using the challenges posed by the pandemic as an opportunity to change Nigeria’s health infrastructure.
