The Federal Government has rejected the decision of UK government to add Nigeria to it’s red-listed countries over omicron variant.
It urged the British Government to review the travel ban imposed on Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed disclosed at a press conference in Abuja while addressing Journalists on Monday.
He said though the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 would respond to the ban appropriately, he as the spokesman of the Federal Government view the decision as grossly unjust, unfair, punitive and indefensible.
He queried why the Britain could such an action on a country of over 200 million citizens just because of very few cases.
He said the decision was not backed by science or common sense
According to the Minister, instead of taking the easy path of travel ban, the issue of vaccine without discrimination ought to have been looked into.
He said: “As you are aware, Britain has put Nigeria on its red list and banned foreign travels from our country.
” This is as a result of the discovery of Covid-19 cases, Omicron variant, in Nigeria. Britain now joins other countries, including Canada, which have taken a similar action against Nigeria over Omicron.
” Let me say straight away that it’s up to the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) to respond to this action by the British government and others, and I have no doubt that the Committee will respond appropriately.
” However, as the Spokesman for the Federal Government, I can say, without mincing words, that the decision by tye British government to put Nigeria on the red list, just because of less than two dozen cases of Omicron which, by the way, did not originate in Nigeria, is unjust, unfair, punitive, indefensible and discriminatory. The decision is also not driven by science.
“We sincerely hope the British government will immediately review the decision to put Nigeria on its red list and rescind it immediately. Nigeria has handled the Covid-19 pandemic with utmost responsibility and based on science, and has rightly earned global accolades for its efforts.
“Nigeria does not belong on any country’s red list.”
