Ondo State Government has made COVID-19 vaccines compulsory for residents to gain access to public places including churches and mosques.
This is coming a few days after the Edo State Government made a similar declaration.
Rising from the State Executive Council meeting on Monday, the government said the enforcement would take effect in two weeks.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, told reporters that the decision was to support ongoing efforts of the state government to contain the spread of the Delta variant of the virus.
He said, “Aside all existing protocols, all residents in the state must be vaccinated with effect from two weeks from now. After the expiration of these two weeks, evidence of vaccination will be the condition to access public places, churches and mosques.”
According to him, the Head of Service has been mandated to drive this process in the public service.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship Development, Summy Francis, said the council also decided to deploy brand new swamp buggy to the three senatorial districts of the state to address the issue of flooding witnessed in the past few weeks
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Titiloye, stated that the council had approved that a memo for the establishment of Ondo State Competition and Consumer Protection Agency be sent to the House of Assembly.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital has granted an order restraining Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and Edo government from imposing the vaccine on the people.
While arguing the motions in the suit with reference number: FHC/PH/FHR/266/2021 filed by Charles Osaretin, against the governor and five others dated August 30, the applicant’s lead counsel, Echezona Etiaba (SAN), urged the court to order parties to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The motion on notice is for the enforcement of the applicant’s fundamental human rights and for the leave of court to serve the respondents by publishing the court’s processes in a national daily newspaper circulating in Nigeria.
The orders, as prayed, were granted by the vacation judge, Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam.
The court subsequently adjourned hearing of the substantive motion till September 10.
In the government’s directive being challenged, Obaseki had said, “From the second week of September 2021, large gatherings will only be accessed by those who have at least taken one dose/jab of the vaccine.
“From the second week of September 2021, people will not be allowed into worship centres (churches and mosques), event centres, and receptions without showing proof of the vaccination cards.
“From the middle of September 2021, you can no longer access the banking services, if you have not been vaccinated.”
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