JUST IN: Governor Bello bows to pressure, at last, set to begin COVID-19 vaccination in Kogi

After months of denial, the Kogi State government has agreed to start COVID-19 vaccination for indigenous and local residents.

This was confirmed to The Cable by the commissioner for health in the state, Saka Haruna, in a telephone conversation on Monday, March 29.

Speaking on the state government’s readiness to start the rollout of the vaccine, Haruna said:

“We have done the microplanning and everything has been completed with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).”

“Anybody that is willing to receive the vaccine (will receive it); nobody is exempted. And nobody will be forced to receive the vaccine.”

Earlier, Bello rejected the COVID-19 vaccine claiming that it was meant to kill people. He consequently discouraged the use of the vaccine.

As the governor addressed a crowd, he doubted the authenticity of the vaccine. He was quoted to have claimed that the vaccine wants to be used to introduce a disease that will make people die.

The governor said:

“Vaccines are being produced in less than one year of COVID-19. There is no vaccine yet for HIV, malaria, cancer, headache and for several other diseases that are killing us.

They want to use the (COVID-19) vaccines to introduce the disease that will kill you and us. God forbid.”

He went down memory lane to the time Pfizer polio vaccines were blamed for the crippling and death of children in Kano, saying, “we have learned our lessons.”

Bello added:

“If they say they are taking the vaccines in the public allow them take their vaccines.

Don’t say I said you should not take it but if you want to take it open your eyes before you take the vaccines.”