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#COVID19: Gabon Water And Forestry Syndicate Rejects Compulsory Vaccination Imposed By Minister

SYNAPEF has called out a Gabonese minister for attempting to mandate COVID-19 vaccination, despite Ali Bongo’s position.

The executive bureau of the National Syndicate of Water and Forestry Professionals (SYNAPEF) has rejected the decision by the Gabonese Minister of Water and Forestry, Lee White to impose obligatory COVD-19 vaccination on all workers of the ministry.

The syndicate has consequently called on all its members to reject taking the jab.

“Considering that Gabon remains a state of law, the bureau of SYNAPEF indicates its surprise in the face of the singular agitation of Minister Lee White consisting of imposing vaccination against the COVID-19 on public agents, the syndicate denounces this umpteenth arbitrary decision nourished by undisclosed intentions,” SYNAPEF declared in a press statement issued July 28, 2021.

The syndicate said it was convinced the decision by Lee White was not motivated by the wish to preserve the health of water and forestry agents, who are already disoriented and find it difficult to assume their vital needs of feeding, housing, and adequate care.


“The bureau of SYNAPEF calls on the entire personnel not to conform to the order of the minister,” the statement declared adding that the decision was based on the fact that every public agent must respect the instructions of the head of state especially as Ali Bongo had underlined that vaccination is not obligatory.

According to SYNAPEF, its position aims also at respecting the regulations of the state rather than the “injunctions of the head of a ministerial department whose communication contrasts with the proactive pedagogic address to the nation (by President Bongo) of March 22, 2021.”

Meanwhile, the option whether to get vaccinated or not is currently dividing Gabonese national opinion especially as the number of persons tested positive for COVID-19 has continued to drop.

The Gabonese national committee for the fight against COVID-19 reports that as at July 28, 2021 there are only 64 active COVID-19 cases hospitalised in the country, which is far below the number of patients being treated for the simple flu.


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Chief Bisong Etahoben

Chief Bisong Etahoben is a Cameroonian investigative journalist and traditional ruler. He writes for international media and has participated in several transnational investigations. Etahoben won the first-ever Cameroon Investigative Journalist Award in 1992. He serves as a member of a number of international investigative journalism professional bodies including the Forum for African Investigative Reporters (FAIR). He is HumAngle's Francophone and Central Africa editor.

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