Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says leaders must apply the principle of fairness in addressing challenges in distributing the COVID-19 vaccine.

Mr Osinbajo stated, “It means a world that does not impose unfair burdens on developing countries when global cooperation is required.

“For example, if you look at what is happening with COVID-19 and access to vaccines, what we are seeing is export bans and a resort to vaccine nationalism.”

In the first few days of April, the federal government halted giving COVID-19 jabs to Nigerians because of the vaccine’s shortfall.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, said the vice president spoke at a virtual forum organised by Liberty University.

The forum with the theme’ Equity for Africa: Transforming the World through Judeo-Christian Values’ was hosted by the university’s School of Business.

“Christian leaders must lead the world towards ensuring that all countries and their peoples can access vaccines irrespective of the resources available to them.

“The same considerations apply to helping African countries cope with the economic crisis caused by COVID-19,” he added.

Mr Osinbajo added that fairness was needed in building a fairer world that took into account the interest of the poor, the marginalised, and a world that did not impose unfair burdens on developing countries.

He warned that current trends in global vaccine distribution headed towards vaccine nationalism.

“The principle of fairness obliges us, as people of faith, to strive to build a fairer world, a world which takes account of the interests of the poor and marginalised.

He restated his earlier call on some multilateral agencies planning to de-fund gas projects to review their position.

Mr Osinbajo said that it was worrisome and should be dropped, adding that people of conscience and faith should put a stop to the trend that could undermine the sense of collective responsibility towards mitigating climate change.

(NAN)