…says urgent policy review needed to salvage economy
The Chief Executive Officer of Aeroland Travels Limited, Otunba Segun Adewale has flayed the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), over insistence that travellers pay $200 for PCR test pre arrival to the country, describing it as inimical to Nigeria’s already battered economy.
Adewale, who is the former vice Chairman of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) made this assertion at a media parley on Saturday.
He notes that,while worse-hit countries in the world are winding down and relaxing their stiff measures to give room for an economic rebound, Nigeria through the NCDC managed by the Presidential Taskforce ( PTF) on COVID-19 still maintains a hard stance, bringing untold hardship to the travel and tourism industry.
“ It is a fraudulent development in that no other country is collecting money upon arrival for post two day test, the total number of death recorded in Nigeria is not up to what is recorded in a county in New York and they are already opening up their economy.
“ These are fraud perpetrated by the NCDC and is affecting the aviation industry. A family of five need a million naira to do the test upon arrival.
“At the end of the day, upon payment of the $200 once the QOR code is generated, the health of the person involved is of less concern to them.
“Since we have copied all the guidelines and health policy from Europe and America on the COVID-19 pandemic safety measures even the quarantine here, now that they have relaxed the rules let’s follow suit.
“It is not severe here , our markets are opened and people still go there to transact business in their thousands, we still have our political campaigns and more.
“This is adversely affecting our GDP growth as the forex we could have gained through tourism is stifled.
“It is imperative that this policy is reviewed because businesses are moribund, due to the exorbitant PCR test charge. People’s livelihoods have been destroyed and these countries are now bringing back their businesses, reviving the travels, aviation, tourism, hotels and hospitality industries.
“So, if we can copy the West and America as regards Covid-19 guidelines and policies, why are we not copying them with financial implications as related to Covid-19 PCR test,” he said.
Adewale, who berated the multiple compulsory PCR tests and charges imposed on travellers into the country, said such was enough to discourage tourism and other connected industries.
“Before, Nigerians cannot enter Europe except they do PCR test but now they are relaxing the rules. In fact, they are not even asking travellers to do test any more to enter their countries once they are vaccinated.
According to him, in England, United Arab Emirates and most countries in Europe, if anyone is vaccinated, the PCR test was not needed again to come into those countries.
He said that Covid-19 test on arrival in some of these countries was free, adding that the development had increased the number of people coming into them thereby improving their economy.
Adewale added: “As things are getting better and countries are relaxing rules, we need to do same in Nigeria for the sake of our economy, we should not make the rules stiffer.
“For travellers arriving Nigeria, Covid-19 PCR test is compulsory within 48 hours irrespective of your vaccination status. This should be reviewed. If you are vaccinated, there is no need for another compulsory test.
“It is not helpful to the economy and the industries, if travellers have to pay 200 dollars in advance into National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) account for another test on arrival into the country.
“This is the highest charge anywhere in the world. These charges are discouraging travellers into Nigeria and indirectly affects our GDP.
“By relaxing the rules and allowing people to come in, we are going to get a lot of foreign exchange we are looking for through tourism, local travels, hotels and hospitalities industries.”
“So, NCDC needs to review the PCR guidelines to encourage travellers and thereby revive moribund industries because businesses are dying.
“We need to work on motivating people to come into country.Those guidelines need to change, we have to be proactive.
“When we have a lot of people coming into the country, airlines business and local flights will be revived, hotels will be full, travel agencies will have business to do,” he said. (