Nation
New Travel Guideline Takes Effect From Today-PSC
A new international travel guideline has been issued by the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, removing mandatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing for fully vaccinated visitors and stiff penalties for unvaccinated travelers violating the new rules.
According to the ‘Provisional Travel Protocol for Travelers Arriving Nigeria’, issued yesterday morning by the Chairman of the PSC and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, the new guideline, which takes effect from Today, April 4, 2022, also prescribes sanctions for airlines that bring violators of the new rules.
Mustapha said that the new guideline prescribed for the fully vaccinated would apply to travelers between ages 10 and 18 years.
He said that unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated international travelers would still be required to take the PCR test 48 hours before boarding a flight to Nigeria.
“This protocol is a revision of the Travel Protocol released on 29th November 2021 Interim Travel Guidelines for Passengers arriving in Nigeria.
“In-bound passengers to Nigeria, who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, are no longer required to carry out COVID-19 PCR test before boarding Nigeria-bound flights.
“Fully vaccinated passengers arriving Nigeria will not also be required to carry out Post arrival PCR test or a Rapid Antigen Test upon arrival in Nigeria.
“Children below the age of 18 years will be accorded the same privileges as persons who are fully vaccinated.
“In-bound Passengers who are unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated for COVID-19 shall take a COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours before departure and undergo Days 2 and 7 post-arrival PCR tests at their own cost.
“All in-bound passengers MUST register via the online Nigeria International Travel Portal (NITP– https://nitp.ncdc.gov.ng),” it said.
Meanwhile, for outbound travelers, the guideline prescribes that “all passengers travelling out of Nigeria are:
“Encouraged to have evidence of full vaccination against COVID-19;
“Comply with the COVID-19 guidelines of their destination or transit countries; and
“Familiarise themselves with the COVID-19 travel requirements of their destination and transit countries before embarking on the journey,” it said.
Addressing the issue of airlines boarding violators of the guideline, it said, among other sanctions, such airlines would be fined US$3,500 for each violator and could be banned from flying into Nigeria.
“Airlines that board travelers without the appropriate required documents; Vaccine certificate, a negative COVID-19 PCR test done not more than 48 hours prior to boarding, and a Paid Permit to Travel/QR code (as may be applicable to the passenger, shall be sanctioned as follows:
“Travelers, who are non-Nigerians, will be refused entry into Nigeria and returned to the point of embarkation at the cost to the airline;
“Travelers who are Nigerians or holders of a permanent residence permit will be allowed entry but subjected to the procedure outlined in Section D of the guideline.
“In addition, travelers arriving with forged (fake) vaccine certificates or COVID-19 PCR results shall be prosecuted and required to carry out PCR tests on arrival, on days 2 and 7.
“Airlines shall be fined US$ 3,500 per traveler for failure to comply with any of the pre-boarding requirements.
“Airlines who consistently fail to comply with the requirements may be banned from coming to Nigeria; and
at the time of boarding, travelers will be required to undergo temperature screening and asked about COVID-19 symptoms.
“Travelers with temperature 38°C and other COVID-19-related signs and symptoms shall not be allowed to board the flight,” the document read.
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
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