The Federal Government has raised concern over the non-compliance with the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test protocol for COVID-19 by 65 per cent of Nigerians returning to the country.
This was revealed by the Lagos State government while issuing warnings to Lagosians stressing that the continuous non-observance of COVID-19 protocols and stipulated safety guidelines could result to a second outbreak of the virus in Lagos.
Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and Chairman of The Presidential Task Force, PTF, on COVID-19, made this known during a briefing in Abuja.
In respect to this, he affirmed that, the passports of culpable travellers would be seized as penalty.
He said, ‘As you may recall, the PTF announced guidelines on reopening of the airspace and obligations of arriving passengers. The PTF similarly announced sanctions as a consequence of any infraction.’
Read Also: COVID-19: Will Nigerians Give Locally Made Vaccines the Chance to Succeed?
‘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 further stressed on the re-emergence of the Coronavirus in Europe and the United States of America. In relation to this, he cleared that Nigeria remains vulnerable to a second upsurge having opened its airspace to enable normal travel activities coupled with the negligence of many in the just concluded protests.
Following this, the SFG maintained that, ‘The PTF has noted with sadness the failure of Nigerians who arrived from abroad to present themselves for the in-country PCR test which they signed up to and paid before arrival.
‘Statistics emerging from our records show that only one out of three passengers have shown up for the in-country test.’