Evacuation Of Stranded Nigerians Ends Tuesday – PTF

The evacuation of Nigerians stranded abroad will end on Tuesday, 25th August 2020, Ekohotblog reports.

This is because the airspace will open for international flights from August 29, 2020.

Consequently, the Federal Government said evacuation flight, which is a special emergency arrangement, will come to an end to allow for regular commencement of flights.

Already no fewer than 13,000 Nigerians stranded abroad following the global lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic have been evacuated back home by the Federal Government.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, also revealed as from 29th of August 2020, passengers will be paying for their COVID-19 test.

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The Dangote foundation and other philanthropists were picking the bills for previous tests on arrival by passengers under the old regime.

Besides, PTF said the country is contemplating obtaining a list of accredited laboratories abroad for testing for Nigeria bound passengers.

This, he explained, is to prevent use of fake results to avoid new cases of covid-19.

Also, isolation period has been reduced from 14 to seven days, while passengers would now be expected to return back for another test after observance of isolation.

Failure to report back, PTF said may lead to the passenger been placed on watchlist or have passports suspended.

PTF also maintained the pre-boarding testing arrangement, which stipulates that prospective passengers must have a subsisting negative Covid-19 test result at most seven days to boarding.