They expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, saying it was a misplaced priority on the part of the government.
Nigerians have taken to their social media to condemn the proposed directive by the Nigerian government to make Covid-19 vaccination compulsory for civil servants.
They expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, saying it was a misplaced priority on the part of the government.
While some criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for allowing poverty to eat up the country during his regime, others decried incessant insecurity that has reached its peak in recent times, killings and abductions happening across the country.
Some concerned Nigerians have therefore taken to their social media pages to criticise the move to make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for civil servants.
Eje Gabriel on Facebook lamented that the government is trying to mandate the vaccine "the same way they have made poverty, hunger, insecurity, corruption, etc., compulsory."
Vershima Tyovenda (@VershimaT) on Twitter said "both federal and state governments should make payment of salary to compulsory".
Similarly, Aanuoluwa (@micheal_adh) on their Twitter lamented that "poverty alleviation is not compulsory for civil servant; stealing their gratuity and pension also not compulsory; paying them good salary also not compulsory?"
A Facebook user identified as Joseph Edumogiren also urged the Nigerian government to focus on payment of salaries to its workers and the provision of good food for citizens.
He also called on the government to provide a decent environment for citizens.
This, Joseph said, would have positive impact on the immune system of individuals and enable them fight against infections.
"Vaccines are not the solution to Covid-19 that's varying every day from information available.
"What Federal Government needs to provide and make compulsory for civil servants or her work force and other citizens of Nigeria is good food and decent environment, so as to boost the natural immune system of the people to withstand and overcome any foreign antibodies, including Covid-19 virus.
"So the money they are using, or debt they want to incur to buy vaccines should be challenged to providing good natural foods and descent environment for the citizenry," he posted.
Another Facebook user, Jerry Francis Adimora, also highlighted the need for the Nigerian government to provide good medical facilities across the country, added that provision of good hospitals should be paramount to the government rather than mandating vaccination for civil servants.
"You have not given them good hospital but you want to mandate vaccine for them," he said.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, during a meeting of the Health Commissioners Forum in Abuja on Thursday, said the Nigerian government could make Covid-19 vaccination compulsory for civil servants.
Mustapha disclosed that the government will start with civil servants as they sometimes represent the country abroad.
He further explained that civil servants should embrace the new development as some countries have already banned unvaccinated persons from visiting them.
Mustapha, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC), added that the vaccination process would be sequential as the country currently lacks sufficient vaccines.
“You should, in the course of this meeting, deliberate on the challenges caused by vaccine hesitancy all over the country. It is expected that you will come with policy alternatives as solutions.
"Let me state, however, that the federal government shall, very shortly, unveil its decision on mandatory vaccination for every employee in its service.
“One of the reasons why we want to do that with the federal civil service is because they will be travelling on behalf of the nation.
“Assuming the American government said, ‘you can’t come into their country unless you’re vaccinated’, you have to be vaccinated.
“It’s a sequential thing and we are taking one step at a time, because we realise we don’t have sufficient vaccines in the country at the moment,” Mustapha said.