Dele Momodu has expressed his displeasure after FG barred international flights from coming into Nigeria for one month in a bid to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
In a statement released by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and signed by Musa Nuhu (NCAA Director General), it was announced that international flights will be barred from coming into Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, from Monday March 23 to April 23 2020.
This comes after the Federal Government ordered the closure of three international airports in the country: Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu; and the Port Harcourt International Airport.
However, media entrepreneur Dele Momodu believes this decision made by the FG will not be favourable for a lot of people – Nigerians and foreigners alike – and he kicked against it.
He wrote:
As always with us in Nigeria, we have once again seen the result of lack of preparation and coordination with the ill-informed and unnecessary decision to paralyse an entire nation and shut out all its citizens like orphans! I would have expected our leaders to give us comprehensive details of their plans instead of terse instructions. What’s the purpose of saying no Nigerian can travel in or out of Nigeria from Monday for one month? So all Nigerians currently abroad who are not residing in those countries will suddenly become destitute when their finances run out. They must all abort their trips and return by tomorrow. And those foreigners already in Nigeria, plus investors or workers on temporary visits will be imprisoned here for one month. Who bears the costs? What about the thousands of jobs? Who will pay them or feed their families? We can do much better by making life easier for our people in these difficult times instead of complicating their lives and giving them mental anguish. Even in more advanced countries, there is always a method to madness. The closures are meticulously controlled and palliatives offered as incentives. All we are seeing here is so bizarre. Different Ministers issuing different directives without explaining how the people would not be made to suffer. As always, it is the poor that will bear the brunt of this total closure!!! Government should find ways of reducing the pains and this should be made public as soon as possible…
Dele Momodu
