News
Omicron COVID Variant: South Africa hits out as travel bans gain pace
More African countries on Monday joined the rush to suspend air links with the south of the continent after the emergence of a new Covid variant, sparking a cry of anguish from South Africa.
The world’s widening travel bans also prompted the postponement of Africa’s biggest shop window for investment, as a glittering top-name gathering in Abidjan was postponed.
After Angola, Mauritius and the Seychelles, Gabon and Rwanda became the latest African nations to join Europe and other regions to halt flights from South Africa or its neighbours.
South Africa — which says it is being made a scapegoat for discovering the Omicron variant — reacted with dismay.
“It is quite regrettable, very unfortunate, and I will even say sad, to be talking about travel restrictions imposed by a fellow African country,” foreign ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said.
“What I don’t understand is that some of these African countries that are doing this, know the struggles (that) as a continent we have, where European countries will take this decision and impose travel bans,” he said.
South Africa, he noted, had recently made “substantial donations” of vaccines to some of the countries that were now imposing flight bans.
“When a fellow African country does that, especially in the context where most of these countries are beneficiaries… it doesn’t make sense,” he told an online news conference organised by the health ministry.
Dozens of nations from Europe to Asia have imposed travel restrictions on South Africa and its neighbours since its scientists flagged the variant, named Omicron, last Thursday.
Mauritius, Rwanda and Gabon became the latest African countries to suspend flights.
Rwanda announced late Sunday that it was halting direct flights to and from nine countries in southern Africa.
All passengers who landed from those countries in the past seven days now have to spend a week in quarantine in designated hotels — at their own cost.
In Libreville, the Gabonese transport ministry on Monday announced a ban on the entry of travellers from eight southern African countries “whose final destination is Gabon.”
The eight include Angola, as well as Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
‘False security’
On Saturday the director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, Arvind Bundhun, said in a statement that it was “with regret” that the government took the decision to suspend all flights from southern Africa.
Angola — itself among the blacklisted southern African nations — at the weekend suspended all flights to and from Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa until further notice.
An outraged South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday said the curbs were scientifically unjustified and called for them to be “immediately and urgently” reversed.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla on Monday said many South Africans had felt the country had hastened to go public with the discovery of the new Omicron variant and that had it “kept quiet, travel bans would not have happened”.
“But that would have been detrimental, because our approach is for our citizens to not live in false security and false safety,” said Phaahla.
South African scientists won applause from Namibian President Hage Geingob, who said they had “unwittingly drawn fire and condemnation” for their country.
Economic fallout
The travel restrictions have dealt a new blow to South Africa’s tourism industry, which had hoped the southern hemisphere summer would bring an influx of visitors from the well-heeled north.
The African Development Bank (AfDB), meanwhile, said its 2021 Africa Investment Forum, scheduled to run in Ivory Coast’s economic hub of Abidjan from Wednesday to Friday, was being postponed until further notice.
Investment projects amounting to “several billion dollars” had been readied for the forum, where investors and corporate chiefs meet, AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina said in a press statement.
“Unfortunately, with rising global travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 Omicron variant, and heightened concerns for health and safety, it is necessary, regrettably, to postpone the event,” he said. “The health and safety of everyone comes first.”
Ramaphosa was among several heads of state expected for the forum, now in its third edition, which was for the first time being held outside South Africa.
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a man, Johnson Elleh, for allegedly producing and circulating a viral video falsely claiming the presence of kidnapping and banditry activities along the Owode-Idiroko axis of the state.
The command said preliminary findings showed that the suspect deliberately fabricated and shared the misleading content to attract public attention and generate online engagement.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday and made available to journalists in Abeokuta.
According to Babaseyi, the command immediately launched an investigation after the video surfaced online, subjecting its contents to scrutiny to verify the claims.
He said the findings revealed that the video was false, misleading, and intentionally crafted to trigger fear, panic, and anxiety among residents.
“Findings revealed that the video was false, misleading, and deliberately designed to create fear, panic, and anxiety among members of the public,” the statement read.
The police spokesperson stated that extensive verification further confirmed that no incident of kidnapping or banditry occurred in the Owode-Idiroko corridor or surrounding communities as portrayed in the viral clip.
He added that detectives later identified the suspect after discovering that he featured in the video, leading to his arrest.
“Further investigation revealed that the suspect was featured in the video and was subsequently identified by detectives, leading to his arrest,” Babaseyi stated.
He explained that the suspect’s action was capable of causing unnecessary public tension, disrupting social order, and eroding confidence in the state’s security system.
“During the course of the investigation, the suspect reportedly confessed to intentionally creating and disseminating the misleading content to generate online engagement and public reaction,” he added.
While noting that investigation into the matter was ongoing, the command said Elleh would be charged to court at the conclusion of the probe.
The police command strongly condemned the spread of fake news, false security alerts, and other forms of misinformation capable of creating fear and confusion among law-abiding citizens.
It warned individuals and groups against publishing, recirculating, or disseminating unverified security-related information, stressing that such acts threaten public peace and would attract legal consequences.
“The Command will continue to identify, arrest, investigate, and prosecute all persons found culpable, irrespective of status or motive,” the statement added.
The police, however, reassured residents that Ogun remained safe, peaceful, and secure, urging them to remain calm and rely only on verified information released through official channels.
“The Command remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property and maintaining public order across the state,” Babaseyi concluded.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
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