The Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies(SSASCGOC), has called on the Federal Government to strengthen its various sensitisation campaigns on safety protocols for the prevention and spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
The President General of the Association, Muhammad Yunusa, made the call in an interview with newsmen on Saturday in Asaba.
Yenusa, while reacting to the recent pronouncement on the decision by the Federal Government to bar civil servants without proof of COVID-19 vaccination or test result done within 72 hours from their offices with effect from first December this year, advised the government to intensify its campaigns against the spread of the pandemic.
He said that rather than making it compulsory, FG should increase sensitisation for Nigerians workers to continue to observe the various preventive measures.
”We feel strongly after analysing everything that it is wrong. This association does not accept the position of government. Taking of COVID-19 vaccine should not be made compulsory.
”If a Nigerian worker takes the vaccine, and slumps and dies, that is the end of the story.
”Did government say anything that if you take the vaccine, and dies, this is what they will give as compensation?
” If there is any state in the country where our members are being forced to go and take the vaccine, we will react so seriously about it,” Yunusa said.
Yunusa said that the order compelling all federal workers to take the COVID-19 vaccines before Dec. 1 would not be encouraged by the association’s leadership, following complaints by workers.
He said, ”The government itself told us that even if you take the two jabs, it is not a guarantee that you will not be affected by the COVID-19.
”Some people had taken the vaccines and died of the same COVID-19 So, it is a contradiction.
”As we said, what the federal and state governments need to do is to strengthen the various sensitisation campaigns on the safety protocols for preventing the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
He appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider its stands in the interest of the workers.
On the prevailing insecurity in parts of the country, Yunusa said that a lot needed to be done by the FG and the security agencies.
While attributing rate of poverty and economic difficulty to the rising insecurity in the country, he urged the relevant ministries and agencies implementing the National Social Investment Programmes of the FG to ensure that money meant for the poor was not diverted.
He said rather than giving out cash to the beneficiaries by hand, the money should be paid directly into the bank accounts of the would be beneficiaries.
On issues bothering on welfare of members of the association, he said that the use of peaceful negotiation rather than strike had helped in meeting their demands or resolving their grievances.
Yenusa encouraged workers to continue to develop their skills and knowledge to enable them to remain relevant at all times in their places of work.
He also said that the association with more than 50 branches nationwide and created by law as far back 1978, was key to the social economic development of the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that delegates from over 50 branches of SSASCGOC converged on Asaba for their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on issues affecting their members as well as key national issues.
COVID-19: Labour association advises FG to strengthen sensitisation on safety protocol
