Six -month ban awaits COVID-19 test defaulters
By Wole Oyebade
Worried by the second wave of COVID-19 already forcing another lockdown in places like France and the United Kingdom, the Federal Government has disclosed stiffer sanctions, including a six months ban for evaders of the mandatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests.
[files] Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said Nigeria has done remarkably well in the fight against COVID-19. Photo: TWITTER/FAANOFFICIAL
•Local carrier welcomes ERJ-145 jet
Meanwhile, a local carrier, Air Peace airlines has received another ERJ-145 from C-check. The aircraft, with registration number 5N-BVD, is one of the several stuck overseas due to the COVID-19 disruption.
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 raised the alarm over potential second wave in Nigeria, giving travellers' growing apathy for COVID-19 tests.
The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, expressed sadness at the failure of some Nigerians who arrived from abroad to present themselves for the in-country PCR test, which they signed up to and paid for before arrival.
Mustapha disclosed that available statistics showed that only one in every three passengers had shown up for the in-country test. He warned that, henceforth, the government would have to suspend the passports of travellers that refuse to show up for their PCR tests on arrival into Nigeria after the specified seven days of isolation.
"As you may recall, the PTF announced the guidelines on the reopening of the airspace and the obligations of arriving passengers. The PTF similarly announced sanctions as a consequence of any infraction.
"Having observed serious non-compliance to the level of 65 per cent, the need has arisen to activate the sanctions, which include the suspension of the passports of such defaulting individuals for a period of six months minimum," he said.
National Coordinator of PTF, Sani Aliyu, who disclosed that states and the Federal Capital Territory had been given resources to tackle the disease, expressed gratitude to all the governors for opening up sample collection centres across the country.
"Every state has received at least N1 billion, the state governments have received the largest single bulk of the PTF intervention. As of today, a total of N50 billion went to states. So, we have enough resources at the state level to be able to push for increased testing and improved surveillance.
"We will continue to work with state governments and urge them to use these resources for the purpose that the Federal Government has given. We have to invest in making sure that the pandemic comes down. There is no doubt we have not flattened the curve yet.
"For those of us that follow the numbers very closely, despite the fact that we are not testing enough, if you follow the number on a week to week basis, you would have noticed a change in the trajectory in the last one week based on the numbers released," he said.
Air Peace Airline
Boss Mustapha
ERJ-145
Why are more Nigerians getting poor?
The descent by Nigerians into the poverty hole seems very rapid despite the country's fabled wealth. In the 70s we were swimming in wealth.
Addressing skills gap in supply chain
Lack of skills in supply chain has been identified as one of the biggest challenges facing the continent. Experts in the sector said the task of finding people with the right skills set required to run the highly complex operations is increasingly difficult.....
How shall countries answer the question of our times?
The world today is going through momentous changes unseen in a century, changes that are consequential to the world, to our times, and to history. The COVID-19 pandemic still drags on with cases surging here and there. The world economy is getting more fragile. The geopolitical environment remains tense. Global governance is seriously inadequate. Food…
NIDS urges FG to increase budget for medical consumables, local production
The Nigerian Infectious Diseases Society (NIDS) has charged Federal Government to commit sufficient fund to the promotion of local manufacturing of medical consumables in the country, including therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases.
Labour threatens to picket hotels over anti-labour practices
Organised labour unions in the hospitality sector, yesterday, threatened to picket Sheraton, Accor, Protea and other hotels found culpable of undermining the interest of workers in Nigeria.
Buhari approves relaxation of COVID-19 safety measures
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate relaxation of COVID-19 safety measures and travel advisory following the recommendations of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19...