WIFE of Nigeria’s president, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has appealed to the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to waive COVID-19 tests for the country’s citizens returning from Ukraine.
She made the call Sunday morning on her verified Facebook Page.
The First Lady also called on the Federal Government to abolish similar payments for all home-bound children and reduce fees chargeable for the tests to all Nigerians.
“I am pleased to learn of efforts by our diplomats to facilitate the safe return of our teeming citizens from Ukraine.
“I plead with the leadership of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 to wave the payment for their Covid test in lieu of their arrival, abolish similar payments for all home-bound children and reduce the fees chargeable for the tests to all Nigerians,” Mrs. Buhari said.
She made the call against the backdrop of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia – an act that has received global condemnation.
Children, other dependents, and thousands of Ukraine residents have been traumatised and displaced by the invasion, resulting in heavy devastations to Ukraine’s city of Kyiv and some of the country’s suburbs. But the Ukrainians are fighting back, destroying many of the Russian’s tanks, capturing and killing its soldiers.
Over 12,000 Nigerian Students and other citizens are reportedly trapped in the country.
The Nigerian PTF recommended that passengers travelling to Nigeria from any country carry out a COVID-19 PCR test within 48 hours to the day of travel and test negative.
Such travelers must register and make payment on the Nigeria International Travel Portal (NITP) for a repeat PCR test to be carried out after arrival.