Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) worldwide has frowned at the recent directive from the state Ministry of Education to teachers to get covid-19 vaccine.
President of the socio-cultural group, Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo, in a message described the directive as draconian and against the rights of civil servants.
“We frown at the recent announcement from the Edo State Ministry of Education signed by the Permanent Secretary, Stella Maris Imasuen, insisting that ‘teachers are to be compulsorily vaccinated against the Covid-19 as staff of the Ministry of Health will be on ground to administer the vaccines to teachers in their schools from Monday, 10th May, 2021,’ when schools would be resuming.
“We view this as a misnomer and we reject such draconian directives from the Edo State Government; definitely something is wrong with this government announcement which sound very authoritarian.
“We thought that the Covid-19 vaccine can only be administered on people who wanted it.
“Should people be forced to take the vaccine against their wish? Of what use is the vaccine which doesn’t guarantee any cure or stop the usage of the facemask?”
Going further, the BSM said: “This notice is against the rights of the civil servant and the people of Edo State. Edo State Government should have a rethink to avoid a backlash which could include litigations by some people or violent confrontation by others.
“Why was the covid -19 palliatives of 2020 which included food, materials and even stipends not forced on Edo State people even when the food stuffs got spoilt where they were hidden faraway from people’s reach?
“The Edo State Government should act with a lot of wisdom. The government is the government of the people and should respect the rights of Edo State citizens not like what this notice seem to portray.”
