Towards total curbing the spread of coronavirus in communities across the State, the Ogun State Government has called on media practitioners to assist the government in sensitizing the people of the State on the need to have interest in the covid-19 vaccines.

The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Waheed Odusile made the call during a one-day advocacy meeting with Local Government Area Information Officers and key media practitioners organized by the State Government in partnership with United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on improving covid-19 vaccines confidence at the grassroots in the State, held at Imowo, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun East region of the State.                                                                  

Alh. Odusile said that the best way to reduce apathy about the vaccines among the people despite the government efforts of making the vaccines available and accessible was to increase sensitization of the populace via partnership with the media.

According to him, "why is this apathy among our people to get vaccinated inspite of government best efforts through making the vaccines accessible? There is no quick or one answer to this, but one area that need to be looked into is sensitization of the populace to get them sufficiently interested in the vaccines. And there is no better vehicle to use to achieve this than the media, hence the workshop".

The Commissioner further said, "we cannot hide from the need for collaborative efforts between government and its partners, one of which is the media, towards further sensitization of our people at the grassroots about the reality of covid-19. More importantly, we need to jointly formulate practical strategies aimed at communicating the correct messages about the vaccines to our people.

"Given this reality, our government, in partnership with UNICEF, has decided to bring together media practitioners from all corners of the State, particularly those closest to residents from the 20 Local Government Area of the State, to discuss how to share genuine and correct information about the ongoing mass vaccination exercise".

He enjoined the media practitioners present at the workshop to use the opportunity for effecting positive behavioral change in the people disposition to the covid-19 vaccines, adding that the media was a potent agent capable of collectively achieving the task alongside government.

On his own, the Coordinating Director, Ogun State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Lanre Ogunyinka, urged the media practitioners not to relent until the situation returns to normancy, adding that they should consistently remain proactive at dishing out to the public, appropriate information, situation reports and renewed hope, just has the state government as continues to work hard for complete normalcy to return. 

Ogunyinka who described the collaboration that exit between the state government and UNICEF as purely a partnerships that works, pointed out that the challenge was a clarion call to the media and other stakeholders, noting that its required a collective responsibility of all for the state and the nation as a whole to have a peaceful, hygienic and developed society. #