The Nigerian Government has given reason it has not banned flights from the UK into the country despite the mutated strain of COVID-19.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, speaking on a Radio Nigeria programme, ‘Politics Nationwide’ on Tuesday in Abuja, said will require the concurrence of neighbouring countries for the ban to be effective.
The minister added that although the government was concerned about importing COVID-19 new strain, it does not want to take a hasty decision.
According to him, the Presidential Committee on COVID-19 decided to watch the development for the time being after its meeting on Monday.
He said they are working with West African Health Organisations and other neighbouring countries, particularly, Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana.
‘We did not want to take a hasty decision to ban flights from the UK into Nigeria only to find out our people are going through Cotonou, Lome or Accra to come into the country.’
‘What the Airlines will do is to transfer Nigerian passengers to these routes, and they will enter the country through the land borders’
‘This will lead into hardship to Nigerians because if you transfer your economy to other countries, you lose a lot of money.’
Mohammed, however, if the country gets the concurrence of these other countries, it will not hesitate to do the needful.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK