Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has criticised the former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, for violating public health procedures on travels at the Aminu Kano International Airport on Saturday 11th July 2020.
The agency said Yari refused to adhere to the protocols and procedures put in place by the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID19 by forcefully pushing away an officer of the Environment department when he insisted that his luggage must be disinfected.
The former Governor reportedly refused that his luggage will be disinfected, saying that the airport officer should have known he is a VIP. According to the Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, the COVID-19 flight guidelines were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) hereby strongly condemns the conduct of the former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari who blatantly violated the Public Health procedures (COVID19)on travels at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport on Saturday 11th July 2020.
“He refused to adhere to the protocols and procedures put in place by the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID19 by forcefully pushing away an officer of the Environment department when he insisted that his luggage must be disinfected.
“The former Governor said the officer should have known he is a VIP. This irresponsible act endangers all other airport users, it is unacceptable, and as such it has been duly escalated.
“FAAN hereby cautions all airport users, especially our esteemed VIPs , to please respect the Presidential directive by observing the Public Health travel protocols put in place to protect all air travellers against infection and the spread of the covid-19 pandemic,” the agency said.
The General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, Henrietta Yakubu, had previously said passengers should expect delays and long hours of checks and re-checks right from when they arrive the airport and depart as the agency has put arrangements in place regarding passenger facilitation and what to expect.
She said escorts of Very Important Persons (VIPs) would no longer be allowed to follow their principals into the terminal and such principals would be subjected to all its health checks. She said passengers are expected to leave their home early hours before their flights to go through the various checks before entering the terminal and after.
“We are going to expect flight delays; flights will experience delays because of checks and re-checks. If you are travelling, I will expect a potential traveler to leave home hours before his flight, why do I say this? Because there is going to be a lot of checks in the front of the terminal we have been told that some may activities and procedures will take place in front of the terminal. So air travelers are expected to leave home very early so that they can get to the airport on time.”
At all airports, she said social distancing would be 100%, temperature screening, wearing of face masks, disinfection of shoes and luggage of passengers would also be carried out 100% regardless of personalities.
“There will be floor markings indicating where each passenger will wait on the queue, arriving passengers will also be subjected to temperature screening, physical distancing too will be observed while Passengers are waiting by the carousel to pick up their luggage. Passengers are expected to arrive the airport with their face masks on, their luggage and pairs of shoes to be disinfected. Passengers are expected to observe to observe social/physical distancing.
“Passengers will subject themselves to temperature screening and departure halls will be arranged in such a way that physical distancing too will be observed,” Yakubu said.
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