FG Sets Date To Ban Flights From UK, US Over COVID-19 Surge

FG has set date to ban flights from UK and US over COVID-19 surge.

NewsOne Nigeria reports that the National Assembly in Nigeria has hinted that a decision is in the pipeline that may result in the ban of flights from the UK and the US into Nigeria as from next week due to COVID-19 surge.

This online news platform understands that the disclosure was disclosed to journalists on Monday, December 28, by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi, who added that relevant agencies are working out the details.

The development will be coming after the new COVID-19 strain discovered in the UK has forced many countries to ban flights to and from the UK, however, Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, is yet to do same.

In the wake of the this, the FG is now thinking of following in the footsteps of other countries that have taken similar action to ban flights from the UK and the US.

This will be coming after the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had earlier dismissed reports that the new mutant strain of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK has been found in Nigeria.

NCDC DG, Dr Chikwe Iheakwazu, who made this comment during the briefing on COVID-19 by the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) on the virus last week, had advised Nigerians to stay calm and safe, stressing that viruses by their very nature mutate.

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The NCDC DG said the Centre for Disease Control, in collaboration with the Africa Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), did some sequencing but did not find the UK variant.

According to the NCDC DG, the COVID-19 variant found in the UK is deadlier than the original strain.

However, Senator Adeyemi in his interview said a final decision on banning flights from the UK and the US will be announced by the government next week.

Senator Adeyemi said both the National Assembly and the federal government are concerned about the negative effects the new COVID-19 strain may have on the country in light of the second wave already being experienced.

The lawmaker noted that the joint National Assembly Committees on Aviation, the Aviation Ministry and agencies in the sector had been holding regular meetings in the past few days on the matter and other related issues.

His words: “We are still trying to study the situation so as to know the appropriate steps to take. It is a very sad situation no doubt.

“The National Assembly and the Aviation Ministry are looking at what really should be done on the call to ban some of the flights coming in, not only from the United Kingdom, but also other countries where the pandemic spreads are more severe.

“The National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation is discussing with the Ministry of Aviation and we are looking at what can be done and the right steps to be taken.

“COVID-19 is of great concern to everyone and it has been proven that it is real. Nigeria as a country has been able to contain the situation because our people are very conscious of the protocols.

“The fact that we are experiencing the second wave is a concern. So, the ministry and the National Assembly are considering an outright ban of flights from the pandemic prone countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, the Asian countries, Sweden, among others.

“We have been studying the situation. We would arrive at a conclusion in the next few days. We are looking at the figures, the rate of infection, the manner of infection and government response.

“We are studying the implications of the outright ban of flights and whether it would be of any importance to the containment of the virus.

“We have protocols for visitors arriving in Nigeria which we make sure are being strictly observed. Notwithstanding, in the next few days, we would know what to do.

“The Senate and the House of Representatives committees on Aviation, the Ministry of Aviation, and all the agencies under the ministry have been engaging in regular meetings over the situation.

“By next week, we would come up with a definite conclusion on whether there would be an outright ban of flights from the affected countries or the next steps to take.”

Also speaking on the development when contacted, James Oduadu, the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Aviation, said the government is monitoring the situation and would always prioritize the health of the citizens but any issue of a possible flight ban will also factor in the neighbouring countries.

Oduadu said, “If Nigeria is going to do a flight ban, it will be in alliance with our neighbouring countries. I assure you that we are monitoring the situation very closely. The government will not do anything that will affect the health of Nigerians.

“The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority released a notice to air operators two days ago on some passengers coming in from the United Kingdom and South Africa. Apart from that, I am not aware of any ban on flights. At the moment, I am not aware of any flight ban. The situation may change tomorrow, but currently, I am not aware.”