Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has raised an alarm of international travellers’ violating travel protocols and guidelines, including presenting fake test results.
Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha who said this during the weekly media briefing on Monday November 23, said it would be enforcing sanctions on violators of COVID-19 travel protocols and guidelines.
Mustapha also disclosed that about three hundred names of violators had been compiled for appropriate actions. He further revealed that many travellers who paid for post-arrival COVID-19 test have refused to take the test.
He said;
“The PTF has been evaluating the compliance of Nigerians with the protocols for testing by in-bound and out-bound travellers. It has been discovered that some of these travellers have indulged in presenting fake documents.
“Some that have paid for post-arrival testing have failed to show up for the tests. Statistics show the following as at 9/11/2020: Total No of bookings: 91,522. Total No of passengers exempted: 5,470 (6%).
“Children: 1,248 (1.36%). Diplomats: 3,392 (3.7%). Evacuees: 830 (0.9%). Total Passengers expected to Pay: 86,052(94%), Paid: 46,982 (54.6%), Not Paid: 39,070(45.45%).
“Travellers that have arrived in-country but have not paid (approximately 39,000).
“Amount paid to private labs by passengers, who have refused to take the post-arrival seven-day test: NGN220 – N270 million.
“Ahead of the upsurge in travels for the Christmas and New Year festivities, we urge strongly that for this year, such trips should be put on hold firmly because of the risks involved. The transmission rate has simply become astronomical.”
