The Federal government has disclosed plans to lift the travel ban placed on 100 passengers who failed to undergo the compulsory COVID-19 test after their return to the country.
Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, on Monday said that the Comptroller-General of the Immigration Service will be directed to lift the suspension and to also activate the new sanctions.
Recall, in January 2021, the Government through the PTF had slammed a six-month travel ban on 100 passengers for non-compliance to the mandatory Day 7 post-arrival COVID-19 test.
It had also stated that with the restriction which took effect from January 1, 2021, the affected persons will not be allowed to leave Nigeria earlier than June 30, 2021.
The names of the defaulters were however not mentioned.
However, Boss Mustapha, speaking at the COVID-19 press briefing said, “The PSC is ready to publish over 500 travelers who violated the travel protocol and those who evaded quarantine this week.
Similarly, he said those who had their passports barred for 6 months will be lifted in the coming days.
“Travellers who did not go for their Day-7 test will have restrictions placed on their international passports for 6 months, while those who evaded quarantine will similarly have restrictions on their international passports for one year,” he added.
Speaking further, the Chairman said that the National International Travel Portal is being reviewed to better enhance a hitch-free experience for travelers.
This review, according to him, will be completed in the next two weeks.
According to him, the world has added about 4 million cases and under 100,000 deaths in the last week, as countries in the West African region experience the 3rd wave of the pandemic.
“Our Test Positivity Ratio has increased to about 6 percent. This is worrisome and shows that we are not out of the woods yet.
”It is no more news that the Delta variant has made its way into Nigeria. The PSC is particularly concerned about the situation in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Rivers, FCT, and Plateau States as this variant has made way into these states and accounts for the rising cases in these states and across the nation,” he added.
He noted that there are currently 143 molecular laboratories in the country (54 private and 89 public), which will aid the easy testing and treatment of infected persons.
