The Federal Government has warned Nigerians against travelling to Brazil, India and Turkey, due to risks from rising Covid-19 cases in those countries.
In a travel advisory notice to Nigerians, the Federal Government said that this is to safeguard the health of citizens and prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
The advice was given by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC), Mr Boss Mustapha, who was represented by the Minister of Environment, Alhaji Abubakar, during a Town Hall Meeting on Covid-19 vaccination for the North East Zone, in Yola.
The meeting which was organised by the PSC in collaboration with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), is to provide a means for the government, communities and other relevant stakeholders to discuss the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination in the country.
What the Chairman of PSC is saying
Mustapha, in his statement, said, “Nigerians are strongly advised to avoid non-essential international travelling at this time especially to countries that are showing an increase in the number of COVID-19 deaths.
Consequently, any person who had visited Brazil, India and Turkey within 14 days preceding travel to Nigeria shall be denied entry into Nigeria. Among other travelling guidelines, individuals, transporters and airlines who abuse the guidelines shall be sanctioned.’’
The SGF explained that the PSC has been monitoring with keen interest, the rise in cases of COVID-19 abroad.
He said, ”The Federal Government deeply sympathises with the government and citizens of those countries and assured them of unflinching support and solidarity. All Governors are also advised to ensure that all returned international passengers in their respective states adhere strictly to the mandatory seven days’ isolation period.’’
The SGF noted that records available showed that the daily incidence of COVID-19 in the country has reduced.
While noting that the Covid-19 pandemic has been the greatest health threat to the present generation, the Minister of Health, disclosed that the impact of Covid-19 on the country’s health, economic and social services have been so overarching, that it calls for all hands to be on the deck to focus on solutions to the disease.
Ehanire said, “This meeting today is the second in the series of town hall interactions across the country to afford the opportunity to rub minds with elders and arrive at a messaging strategy for citizen engagement in ongoing vaccination to protect Nigerians against COVID-19 pandemic.
Since Nigeria recorded its first COVID-19 case in February 2020, the Federal Government has put measures in place to protect lives and mitigate the devastating effect of community transmission.’’
What you should know
It can be recalled that the Federal Government had on May 1, 2021, introduced some new measures in a travel advisory for passengers arriving in Nigeria from Brazil, India, and Turkey, to mitigate the risk of importation of variants of coronavirus from those countries and break the chain of transmission to the population.
The government also last month, revoked the visas issued to 27 foreigners and declared 63 Nigerians as Persons of Interest for evading the mandatory 7-day quarantine for persons arriving from these restricted countries.
After having 1,966,548 Nigerians receive the first dose of the vaccine, the Federal Government said that they have commenced providing the second doses.
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