Coronavirus: Buhari Bars All Govt Officials From Overseas Travel 

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government has barred all government officials from overseas travel in the wake of the rapid spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) across the globe.

Government officials banned from travelling abroad include public and civil servants. 

The development was announced on Tuesday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha. 

According to Mustapha, the Presidential Task Force Committee  on Coronavirus reached the decision after a meeting on Tuesday.

The development came after Nigeria recorded its third coronavirus case on Tuesday in Lagos State.

The SGF said the committee after its meeting concluded that all officials in the Ministries, Department and Agencies, including parastals to stop all forms of travels out of the country for whatever reasons.

“At the conclusion of the innaugural meeting of the Presidential Task Force on the control of COVID-19, the committee has reached some decisions.

“We have decided to advice that all officials in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies including parastals, that government has ban all forms of travels out of the country for whatever reasons.

“Whether for meetings, bi-lateral, multi- lateral, conferences, seminars, workshops and any form of other ceremonies.

“And this ban will remain in place until further notice and until the situation of pandemic nature of the COVID-19 stops.

“By this notice, any prior approval to travel abroad on official assignment during this period is accordingly resisted,” he said.

According to him, the committee has decided to urge that the Federal Government should scale up the nation’s health emergency system to the highest level and put in measures to curb further spread of the disease.

The committee headed by the SGF also advised the citizens strongly in their own interest to cancel or postpone all non-essential travel abroad including business and vacation trips.

“This is especially so, especially when it comes to the countries known to be seriously affected by the COVID-19.

“Secondly, we urge anyone returning to Nigeria from any country to strictly self isolate for 14 days.

“And that all people returning from countries with high community transmission rate, especially countries that have recorded a thousand cumulative cases and above would be actively isolated for 14 days by the health authorities,” he said.