By Haruna Gimba
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration will use the year 2021 to work and reinforce the hopes of Nigerians in the vision of a united and progressive Nigeria.
In a New Year broadcast to the nation, President Buhari said 2020 was a very tough year that put the country’s national resilience and ability to survive these tough times to test due to the challenges posed on collective humanity by the novel COVID-19 pandemic.
He, however, said that it gave renewed hope that “we will again brave any storms that lay ahead in 2021 and beyond.”
Buhari added that keeping the country safe from a resurgent cycle of COVID-19 was a priority, said the administration had finalised “plans to procure and efficiently and effectively distribute the COVID-19 vaccines.
“Keeping our country on a forward march is a duty which we all have and share. In this regard, keeping our country safe from a resurgent cycle of COVID-19 as this administration finalizes its plans to procure and efficiently and effectively distribute the COVID-19 vaccines,” he said.
He urged citizens to observe strict COVID-19 prevention protocols.
Commenting on the President’s broadcast; Coordinator of the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), Dr Aminu Garba Magashi commended Buhari for his commitment to deploy COVID-19 vaccine in 2021.
Dr Magashi, however, called for transparent, accountable and equitable distribution of the vaccine across the country.
“President Buhari’s in the New Year broadcast today mentioned his administration’s readiness to deploy COVID19 vaccine this year. This is a welcome development and as an advocate I called on the government to ensure transparent, accountable and equitable distribution of the vaccines all over the country.
“We should also while preparing for the vaccines to continue to advocate and sensitize the populace about the continuous use of face masks at all time including social distancing and regular wash of hands with running water and soap.
The AHBN Coordinator urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to provide more clarity about the source of billions of naira to be committed by the federal government to procure more vaccine, “and explain how it will be mobilised and deployed in the spirit of equity and transparency.”
