The President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has condemned travel bans placed on African countries over the latest variant of COVID-19, Omicron.
“Now that omicron has been found in many non-African and developed countries, why are travels from those countries not banned? Why single out African countries? Singling out African countries is very unfair, non-scientific, and discriminatory. Lift bans on African countries!” Adesina said in a statement.
“Global vaccines’ and travel apartheid against Africa are endangering lives, hurting economies, lives, jobs and livelihoods, from a pandemic Africa did not cause. End the apartheid. Respect Africa!”
Nigeria on Monday became the latest African country to be banned by the United Kingdom over the virus’ spread.
The country joins its Southern African counterparts – South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia – on the list of restricted countries.
Announcing the ban of travellers from Nigeria on Saturday, UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said most “a significant number” of Omicron cases have been linked to travel with Nigeria.
“There are 27 cases already in England and that’s growing and Nigeria now is second only to South Africa in terms of linked cases to Omicron,” he said.
(Channels TV)
==========================About-Us=========================
METROWATCH is an online daily newspaper founded in October 2013 by a seasoned reporter, Collins Edomaruse. He had risen to the position of General Editor in his 18 years stint at THISDAY newspaper, an appointment he resigned on October 30, 2013 to pursue his online newspaper publishing dream. Prior to his appointment as the newspaper’s General Editor, he had served, at various times, as Editor, Nation’s Capital; Group News Editor, Associate Editor, and Deputy Editor at different times for the newspaper’s three titles – Daily, Sunday and Saturday.
Edomaruse had covered education, sports, energy, national security, defence and transport beats among others. As a defence correspondent, Edomaruse traversed the war zones of both Liberia and Sierra-Leone in the dark days of Charles Taylor and Foday Sanko as warlords, which earned him the sobriquet “General” by his colleagues in the newsroom.
OUR MISSION
METROWATCH will act as a catalyst in our debate and desire for a crime-free Nigeria and provide the much-needed platform for all, irrespective of social, religious or political divide, to express their views.
OUR VISION
METROWATCH will strive to bring to the public domain issues of bad governance, dirty business, hostile neighborliness, security challenges and other crime issues that are always begging for attention in Nigeria.
We will pursue this course with every vigor in our drive for the TRUTH and FAIRNESS.
