…….FG, EU meet, review sanctions
…….Don’t disrespect Nigeria on visa ban , FG tells US, UK
The Federal Government says Emirates Airlines has been included in the list of airlines not allowed to operate in Nigeria as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country .
Minister of Aviation , Hadi Sirika, made this known via his
Twitter handle on Friday.
He said the decision was taken after a meeting between members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 and European Union ambassadors.
He said the ban would take effect from Monday , September 21, 2020.
“ The PTF sub- committee met today with EU Ambassadors to discuss Lufthansa, Air France /KLM ban.
The meeting progressed well . Emirates Airlines
’ s situation was reviewed & they are consequently included in the list of those not approved , with effect from Monday the 21st September 2020, ” he tweeted .
The PTF sub committee met today with EU Ambassadors to discuss Lufthansa, Air France /KLM ban. The meeting progressed well. Emirates Airlines ’ s situation was reviewed & they are consequently included in the list of those not approved , with effect from Monday the 21st Sept. 2020🇳🇬
— Hadi Sirika (@ hadisirika) September 18, 2020
The Federal Government had on September 5 okayed the resumption of international flights in the country.
It subsequently released the list of nine airlines granted approval to commence operations .
In the statement announcing the international flights restart in the country , Sirika had noted that Air France , KLM , Etihad , RwandAir , Air Namibia , Royal Air Maroc , Lufthansa, TAAG Angola Airlines were denied approval to commence flight operations .
He said Cabo Verde and South African airlines were denied approval as international flights were yet to resume in their countries .
Middle East Airline , British Airways , Delta , Qatar , Ethiopian Airlines , Air Peace , Virgin Atlantic , Asky Airlines , Africa World Airways , Air Cote -d’ Ivoire , Kenya Airways , EgyptAir , Turkish Airlines , including Emirates Airlines , were all granted approval to resume.
The minister , however , did not state the reason for including Emirate Airlines in his tweet.
FG, EU meet, review sanctions
The Federal Government and the European Union met on Friday to discuss international flight restrictions placed on some European airlines .
The Minister of Aviation , Hadi Sirika, who made this known , said the Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 sub-committee met with EU Ambassadors today and “ the meeting progressed well. ”
The EU had excluded Nigeria from the list of countries allowed into Europe when it reopened its borders after the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic . The FG had reciprocated and banned EU airlines including Lufthansa, Air France , KLM , others from operating into the country when it reopened Nigeria
’ s airspace on September 5.
Giving an update on the development on Friday, the minister added that the FG has also included Emirates Airlines in the list of airlines not approved to operate flights into the country effective Monday .
“ The PTF sub committee met today with EU Ambassadors to discuss Lufthansa, Air France /KLM ban.
The meeting progressed well . Emirates Airlines
’ situation was reviewed and they are consequently included in the list of those not approved , with effect from Monday the 21st Sept. 2020, ” Sirika tweeted .
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the government reopened the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport , Abuja , and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport , Lagos , for international travels earlier this month.
The FG had also listed EgyptAir , Virgin Atlantic , Turkish Airlines , AWA , Kenya Airways and Middle East Airlines as airlines permitted to operate into the Lagos airport
while British Airways , Emirates , Ethiopian Airlines , AWA , and Middle East Airlines were also allowed to operate into the Abuja airport .
However, the FG had said Air France , KLM , Lufthansa, Etihad Airways , TAAG Angola Airlines , Air Namibia , RwandAir and Royal Air Maroc were not approved to operate flights into the country.
The government had also said there would be sanctions for non- compliance with the guidelines on the part of the approved airlines and the passengers.
It had said passengers who fail to comply with the Covid- 19 protocol put in place to curb the importation of the virus would be suspended from travelling for six months while airlines that fail to comply would pay a fine of $3, 500 per passenger .
Visa ban: Don’t disrespect Nigeria, FG tells US, UK
The Federal Government has frowned on the statements issued by the United States and the United Kingdom on the governorship elections holding in Edo State on Saturday ( today) and Ondo State on October 10.
It also expressed concern over the visa restrictions imposed by the US on unnamed politicians for alleged involvement in electoral violence during the Kogi and Bayelsa states governorship polls.
Both US and the UK had vowed sanctions on anyone who perpetrated violence during the Edo and Ondo elections , including imposing visa restrictions and blocking them from accessing their assets and prosecuting them under international law .
But reacting to the comments of its western allies on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement stated that it had taken note of their concerns regarding the elections in Edo and Ondo.
The government explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari has continually urged all parties and contestants to peacefully conduct themselves before, during , and after the elections .
The statement signed by the MFA spokesman , Ferdinand Nwonye, added that Buhari also supported patriotic non -governmental initiatives such as the Abdusalami Abubakar Peace Committee.
Furthermore, it explained that there were ample provisions in the nation ’ s laws to sanction violators and perpetrators of electoral violence and fraud .
However, it admonished the UK and US to cooperate with the relevant agencies by providing them concrete evidence of observed misconduct “ to allow our laws and regulations to take their course. ”
The statement added , “ It would be considered disrespectful of the sovereignty of Nigeria for any outside authority to sit in judgment over the conduct of our citizens and apply punitive measures such as visa restriction, unilaterally . ”
The FG further highlighted that the responsibility for the conduct of elections in Nigeria solely resides with the Independent National Electoral Commission and State Independent Electoral Commissions.
“ The Federal Government , and especially the President , is committed to providing all necessary logistic , financial , and security support to the electoral process .
“ While we appreciate the support and encouragement of our international partners such as the European Union , we urge our equally valued partners such as the UK and US to cooperate with our relevant agencies by providing them whatever concrete evidence of observed misconduct to allow our laws and regulations to take their course , ” the government stated.
Finally, the government expressed solidarity with the American government and people as regards their forthcoming election “ which we hope will be free from interference and violence. ”
Ibe Pascal Arogorn
