By Sarah NEGEDU
Barely 24hours after commencement of the ‘no vaccination, no entery’ policy, the FCT Administration said it has achieved close to 70percent COVID-19 vaccination compliance among its employees.
The Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikaro Attah, who stated this on Tuesday after monitoring compliance round departments and agencies, said the turn up for the jab has been impressive.
The Administration on Monday, January 18, 2022, began denying access to unvaccinated staff and visitors to its premises, with the option of granting access to those with a negative COVID-19 test result.
Attah said, “Like yesterday, we have massive turn out of staff that are fully vaccinated, we have gone to FCT departments and agencies and have seen that the staff are fully vaccinated. What we will continue to insist is that the vaccination is not by force, we are not forcing people to take the job or vaccine. We are only telling people to come with either COVID-19 negative result test, or prove of vaccination.
“We are happy that there is high level of compliance, as of today the enforcement hit 70percent, with the impressive turn up and the ongoing vaccination we are almost there.”
On those staying away from their offices, Attah explained that the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, has warned that such staff will be regarded as absconding from work.
According to him, “The FCT Permanent Secretary is clear about that, anyone who stays away from the office will be treated as someone who is on the run, and the civil service rule is clear about it. The Permanent Secretary with Director Human Resource Management, Mallam Bashir Muhammed have made it very clear that if you decide to stay at home because you don’t have evidence of vaccination, or COVID-19 negative result test, you will be treated in line with the civil service rule.”
Attah advised those yet to get their jabs, to take advantage of the various vaccination centres across the city, stressing that the vaccine is free and safe.
An FCTA staff, Ebikun Adekunle, attributed his hesitancy to rumours and conspiracy theories surrounding the vaccine especially in the social media.
“I’m a Staff here , and I got to know that I won’t entre the office without collecting the vaccine or showing proof negative status. This is the main reason I collected the vaccine.
