Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has expressed that the development of vaccines by Nigerian scientists would enhance its acceptance by Nigerians.
The Governor noted that the hesitancy being recorded in taking of COVID-19 vaccine may be linked to lack of local input in the manufacturing processes.
Obaseki was represented by the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, during a courtesy visit Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Mohammed Abdullahi, to the Government House, Benin City.
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He said, “Science cannot be overlooked. Today, we are finding it difficult advocating, educating and appealing to our citizen to take the vaccines because they were not made in Nigeria.
“If we have a system in place to manufacture the vaccines in Nigeria, I doubt that the level of enforcement that we are putting in place to curb hesitancy will be this strong.
“When our sons and brothers are the ones in the laboratories manufacturing the vaccines, there is going to be an attachment and belief that what they are doing is for the interest of their kinsmen. It is not going to be questioned as we are seeing today.
“But when everything has to be foreign, then there would be issues. We have all it takes. Nigerians are gifted: We can achieve anything that we want to achieve in this country.”