Fresh hurdles now await international air travellers from the United Kingdom and South Africa as Federal Government’s preventive measures against the new strain of COVID-19 take effect this morning.
By the new protocol, all inbound passengers are mandated to seek and get travel permit from Nigeria before boarding flights coming into the country.
To enforce the protocol more than ever before, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority [NCAA] will fine airlines $3,500 for each passenger and may be required to return non-Nigerian defaulting passengers to the point of embarkation for non-compliance.
Stakeholders, though received the new directive with mixed feelings, have urged the Federal Government to also intensify on-arrival rapid COVID-19 testing centres at ports of entry.
While several countries placed a ban on UK travellers over COVID-19 new strain recently detected, the British government has also banned travellers to the country from South Africa, having linked the new variant to the African country.
With British Airways [BA] and Virgin Atlantic [VA] operate daily flights in and out of Nigeria, indigenous carrier, Air Peace airlines, now operate twice-weekly flights on Lagos-Johannesburg-Lagos route. The two channels have become a source of worry for the Presidential Task Force [PTF] on COVID-19 sources said.
With lapses noted before this new hurdle, the Port Health Authority stations at international airports had complained of lack of compliance with COVID-19 guidelines for arriving Nigerian passengers declining to pay N52, 000 for COVID test or present for such screening within seven days of arrival is also a major worry to the government.
In an All-Operators’ Letter [AOL] issued by the NCAA, made available to the media by the apex regulatory body mandated that all indigenous and foreign operators flying into Nigeria must ensure the United Kingdom and South Africa passengers present pre-departure permit [besides visa] to fly or quarantine code generated from Nigeria international travel portal and documentary evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result done within 96 hours of boarding.
The NCAA also stated that all the new travel rules would be applicable to both scheduled and non-scheduled passengers from both countries.
Captain Musa Nuhu boss, said with the recent spike in cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria and the reported transmissible new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom and South Africa, the Nigerian government through Presidential Task Force [PTF] on COVID-19 reviewed the quarantine protocols.
“Passengers must now present the following two documents in order to be allowed to board their flights to Nigeria: [a] Pre-departure permit to fly/ QR code generated from the Nigeria International travel portal [https://nitp.ncdc.gov.ng] showing evidence of payment for the post-arrival day-seven COVID-19 PCR test and [b] Documentary evidence of a Negative COVID-19 PCR result done within 96 hours [four days] of boarding from verifiable laboratory or health facility.
“On arrival in Nigeria, passengers will be received and processed separately by public health authorities. All passengers will be required to self-isolate for seven days after arrival followed by COVID-19 PCR test. Passengers with a post-arrival Negative COVID-19 PCR result can exit self-isolation and further management.
“A dedicated register of arriving passengers from the United Kingdom and South Africa will be opened and enhanced for surveillance and active enforcement of these protocols,” the protocols stated in part.
On non-compliance, the NCAA stated that “punitive measures shall be taken against airlines who fail to comply with this All-Operators Letters. The punitive measures shall include but not limited to the following.
“Airlines shall be fined $3,500 for each defaulting passenger. Airlines may be required to return non-Nigerian defaulting passengers to the point of embarkation. Repeated non-compliance by any airline will lead to the suspension of the airline’s approval/permit to fly into the country.”
PTF National Coordinator, Dr. Sani Aliyu, had said that effective, Monday, December 28, 2020, all passengers coming into the country from the UK and South Africa on direct flights, must use the Nigerian International Travel Portal to register, fill in the health questionnaire and must upload a negative COVID-19 PCR result with a validity of not more than five days and must pay for a COVID PCR test at day seven of arrival in the country without which they will not be allowed to board the flights.”
Aliyu said the country was concerned about the emergence of the new variant coronavirus in the UK and additional mutate that was described as coming from South Africa noted that Nigeria’s system for travels in terms of ensuring the safety of citizens and preventing the importation of cases is one of the strictest.
“If you do not present a travel permit, the airlines are being directed not to board you. So, if you are coming into Nigeria from the UK and South Africa, it is in your best interest to familiarise yourself with the Nigerian International Travel Portal.
By Kola Raji
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