Nigeria to decontaminate 125 aircraft, 13 airports, no rush to reopen aviation sector

Nigeria has mapped out 125 aircraft and 13 airports for decontamination as part of measures to halt the spread of coronavirus and other diseases in the country.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at a briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmood, said “Aviation sector is such a specialized sector. We cannot rush things. I did say that we’ve mapped out 125 aircraft and 13 airports.

“So far, we’ve decontaminated and disinfected two aircraft. Why we’re not rushing it is because of the nature of the industry.

“It’s a place that when it comes to safety, everything must be followed carefully, and even when we want to do that, we have to follow their lead as to how and where to go while decontaminating the aircraft.

“For the airports, we need to be led on where we need to go, how and when we need to. The decontamination is ongoing because there are other facilities we’re decontaminating across the country. So, we’ll go as soon as they’re ready for us.”

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, urged Nigerians to take ownership of the initiatives for non pharmaceutical interventions with strict adherence to public health advisories.

He said: “The increasing figure of confirmed cases underscores the ongoing community transmission, which is a major challenge and again necessitates a call on all citizens not to take this COVID-19 lightly; but to take ownership of the initiatives for non pharmaceutical interventions with strict adherence to public health advisories: maintain social distance, practise hand and respiratory hygiene, avoid crowded places and wear your mask or a face covering when you leave your house.”

According to him, another pressing urgency is the need to provide and prepare isolation centres and more bed spaces in all states of the federation.

He appealed to each state authority and the FCT to give first line attention to this requirement in order to meet expectations and obligations.

He said: “As testing ramps up, the need will become more and more obvious. It should therefore be prioritized so that we are not taken by surprise. I should take the opportunity to request distinguished senators, honourable members of the houses of representatives and assemblies to also get involved in the disease surveillance and notification efforts in their constituencies and to actively support the drive to rapidly increase bed spaces for Isolation and treatment in their states.

“I shall also strongly urge those who test positive for COVID-19 to cooperate with the directives of authorities, on isolation, so as not to constitute a risk and a cause for public concern.”

He said the government had completed plans to start training and capacity building of much needed intensive care workforce for various parts of the country.

He said the Federal Government team sent to Kano State “have commenced work and were well received by the state governor and have been able to conduct an appraisal of the situation and start working on outlines of providing technical support to the state COVID-19 task force in several aspects.”