Business

Fed Gov set to lift interstate travel ban

…You can’t have ban on interstate, while you fly across states- Minister

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The federal government of Nigeria may be on its way to lifting the ban placed on interstate travel since the month of March this year.

According to the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Sani Aliyu, there are strong indications that the federal government may remove the ban on interstate travels on June 21, 2020.

Aliyu said at the moment, preparations are in top gear to get the aviation sector to start working on that date.

“That date may not necessarily be June 21; it could be June 26, 28, or even July 1.

Aliyu

“Once we open up the skies to domestic flights, then we would have to review the arrangements regarding interstate travel because you cannot have a ban on interstate travel and you have people flying from one state to another,” Aliyu said

The Nigerian President had placed restrictions on interstate movement as one of the measures to curb the spread of the novel global COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking in the same vein, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the date for resumption of international flights would soon be made known.

He advised industry stakeholders to start working out protocols towards flight resumption.

“The aircraft has been parked for three months, we have to ensure that within now and that time, these airplanes are good and safe to fly,” he said.

On safety of crew members, the minister stated that pilots and other members of the cabin crew would be required to undergo medicals and have their licenses renewed ahead of the planned resumption.