By Idris Ibrahim
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has described the recent travel ban on Nigeria by United Kingdom and Canada due to the outbreak of a new wave of Corona virus triggered by Omicron variant as “unfair, discriminatory” treatment.
NGF accused the aforementioned countries of hastily including Nigeria among the list of countries blacklisted from entering their country due to the outbreak of Omicron variant.
This was made known in a statement issued by Governor Kayode Fayemi, Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Mr. Fayemi also urged the World Health Organizations (WHO) to intervene on the matter by setting uniform standards that are acceptable to all for banning countries across the globe.
“Canada and the United Kingdom have hastily included Nigeria among the Omicron present countries which must stay away from their shores, an action viewed by the NGF as precipitate, unfair and discriminatory.”
“Omicron still remains relatively unknown globally as it is not yet clear whether it is more transmissible from person to person compared to other variants including Delta.”
“It is very discouraging to note that there are several countries that have reported cases of Omicron similar to or higher than Nigeria’s, that have not been banned from entry to the UK and/Canada,” the governor said.
“It is ironical that this ban comes at a time when the DG of the WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, has advised that “rational proportional risk reduction measures” be taken by countries such as screening passengers prior to departure and/or upon arrival in a country, or enforcing a quarantine period,” Mr Fayemi added.
However, NGF urged world leaders and stakeholders in the West to ensure that they proffer a permanent solution to Covid-19 pandemic that has crippled many activities across the globe.
“As we know, vaccine hesitancy is quite high and for many reasons including disruptive announcements like this which could exacerbate distrust of the vaccine and heighten hesitancy.”
“World leaders and stakeholders in the West need to remember that with the COVID-19 pandemic, until everyone is free, no one is free. Variants will continue to appear and spread across the globe as long as global herd immunity has not been achieved,” the statement suggested.