By Abdullahi Muhammed, Abuja
The Presidential Task Force on Control of COVID-19 said Monday that it is considering jail term option for violators of protocols and guidelines to serve as deterrent to others.
Speaking at a briefing in Abuja, chairman of the Presidential Task Force and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, said government is worried about high number of cases and fake tests across the country.
He said the Presidential Task Force also welcomed the decision by media organisations and the Anap Foundation COVID-19 Think Tank to name and shame violators of the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations (2021).He said about 100 passports are to be suspended for the next six months or a longer time, stressing that violators of protocols abd guidelines would be made to face mobile court and even sent to jail.“We have to get tough on these things because it’s a matter of public health and the dangers involved.
For this,, let me thank Mr. Atedo Peterside and Anap Foundation, who have launched along with the media the COVID-19 hall of shame initiative, where they intend to name and shame people who are in outright bridge of the COVID-19 protocols. We call on many Nigerians and the media to join us in this fight so that we have a paradigm shift, an attitudinal change among our people to do the right thing,” he said.
Speaking on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) banning Gulf carrier Emirates with a 72-hour flight suspension, the SGF said those presenting fake results were making airlines to doubt the testing process being carried out in the country.“Right now we are fighting with airlines because they have imposed additional layer of testing that is going to cost Nigerians additional N25,000 in Abuja and over N30,000 in Lagos. We are contesting it and the simply reasons the airlines doing this is because of our attitude.
“They are beginning to doubt the authenticity of our test results because some few Nigerians have decided to be very very deceptive and criminal. Though we don’t have the monopoly of forging, even there they forged documents but why should we do it to ourselves to the extent that right now airlines are now determining for us by introducing a new layer of test.
“By the time you add up the cost of the additional money we are going to expend on traveling and coming back, it’s over N150,000. Why should that happen? But you see? We are the ones creating that situation.“So, I will appeal to the media in particular, to be very strong in voicing your resentment of anybody that indulges on those kinds of attitude of bridging of protocols, rules and regulations, indulging in the facilitation of COVID-19 fake results,” he said.