By Mudiaga Affe
The Team Leader, Edo State COVID-19 Task Force, Dr. Ebomwonyi Osagie, on Monday disclosed that the state has recorded seven deaths from COVID-19 related deaths.

This is as a coalition of civil societies groups in Benin city defied the rain on Monday to protest against the government’s compulsory plan for residents to take the COVID-19 vaccination.

Obaseki had recently stated that residents must be inoculated with the vaccine before being allowed to access large gatherings in the state.

The governor, who identified such gatherings as churches, mosques, banks, wedding or burial receptions, added that the third wave of COVID-19 was causing devastating effects across the country.

He explained that the stiffer measures was to reduce the impact of the virus.

However, corroborating the governor’s position, Ebomwoyi, who addressed journalists in Benin City on the fight against the spread of the virus, said 228 new cases had been recorded in the state.

“The deaths recorded so far are unvaccinated persons. If they had been vaccinated they may have survived. We have collected 1,1426 samples in this third wave, out of which 228 are positive cases, 19 recoveries, and seven death, representing 15. 9 percent,” he stressed.

He explained that of the four treatment centres in the state, namely Stella Obasanjo Hospital, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Irrua Specialist Hospital, Auchi General Hospital, only the UBTH is on strike.

NDDC Forensic Audit: Awarded 12,128 Projects show no clear-cut ownership – Akpabio

The team leader, who decried community transmission of the virus, urged people to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols of wearing face masks, washing of hands, and using of sanitizers, among others.

“We have Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines for residents. The measure taken by the government was to ensure the safety of the people,” he said.

He, however, appealed to the people to make themselves available for vaccination so as not to record avoidable deaths.

Meanwhile, peaceful protesters, marched through the streets of Benin City on Monday, protesting the government directive on COVID-19 vaccination.

The government directive, they said, was tantamount to trampling on the fundamental rights of the citizens.

The protesters carried placards some of which read, “Obaseki can’t force us to take covid-19, vaccines”; “I have right to a mosque”; “we have right to decide”, among others.

The protesters under the aegis of Equity Initiatives while addressing newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat, in Benin, asked the governor to face infrastructural decay and insecurity in the state.

Convener and spokesperson for the group, Chris Iyama said, “We are here to express our displeasure over government move to force Edo people to take COVID-19 vaccines. This is against our fundamental human rights.

“You cannot force someone to eat what he or she doesn’t want. Are we in a Banana Republic? We own the state, not the government.

Also, the Interim state chairman, Edo Civil Society, Bishop Osadolor Ochei, said it was the right of the citizens to decide whether to be vaccinated or not.

“If the government has failed, we cannot fail ourselves. The government has the right to make policies but this policy is not law,” Ochei noted.

The protesters had earlier protested to the state Nigeria Bar Association and Edo state government house, the seat of power.