The Minister of State for Health, Olorunnibe Mamora, said on Friday that the Federal Government would not compel any state in the country to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Mamora stated this while fielding questions from journalists shortly after he inaugurated some projects at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Delta State.

The minister was reacting to questions from journalists on why Kogi was yet to take delivery of the vaccine.

The Federal Government had distributed the vaccine to 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) but left out Kogi from the arrangement.

He said: “Kogi lacked storage facilities for cold chain, security, logistics, and personnel to administer the vaccines.

“Also, let me state clearly here that from the onset, the Federal Government made it clear that it will not force anyone to take the vaccine but rather will continue to appeal to people in their own interests.

“Aside that, in Kogi, that you mentioned specifically, one of the reasons the vaccine has not been sent there is because, during the #EndSARS crisis, some of their facilities were violently destroyed.

“So, as we speak, Kogi does not even have the facilities for storage to maintain the cold chain. So, that is the reason the state has not been supplied.”