Sterling Bank Plc has collaborated with the Lagos State Port Health Authority and the Federal Ministry of Aviation to install free Wi-Fi connection and additional air conditioning units for arriving passengers at the arrival terminals D and E of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
A statement on Friday from the Divisional Head, Health and Education Sectors, Sterling Bank, Mr Obinna Ukachukwu, said this was part of its continuous support to tame the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
It said, “The installations are to welcome arriving travellers comfortably and allow passengers easily book the necessary COVID-19 tests on arrival from the comfort of their devices.
“This is in conjunction with the Lagos State Port Health Authority, Lagos State Ministry of Health and with the blessing of the Federal Ministry of Aviation.”
According to the statement, the bank continues to play a significant part in the nation’s efforts to combat the scourge of the pandemic by making it easy for inbound passengers to connect to tech-focused solutions needed to book tests upon arrival and also to keep the economy open.
Ukachukwu said multiple projects and investments had been made by the bank at various times in the fight against the virus because of its commitment to the prioritisation of health among its social investment programmes.
The Commissioner of Health Lagos State, Prof. Akin Abayomi, was quoted as saying the collaboration would go a long way to improve the booking experience for post-arrival testing and improve the state’s overall test numbers by simultaneously providing arriving passengers fast connection to book tests, and address the delays such passengers used to encounter upon entry at the airport.
He called on other private sector operators to collaborate with the federal and state governments in a bid to effectively tame the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statement said the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Rabiu Yadudu, welcomed the development as a step in the right direction as Nigeria’s international travel sector recovered from the impact of the pandemic.
He lauded the efforts of the nation’s port health authorities and the private sector in creating a standard that would ensure passengers arrive into the country in relative comfort and can gain access to qualitative testing facilities on demand and help in managing the pandemic.