A Nigerian named Ndubuisi Ekwulonu Based in Sweden, who after paying N42,750 for COVID-19 test at the airport was made to pay another N42,750 at the laboratory has gotten a refund after persistent Intervention from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
See the tweet the from the agency.
Mr Ndubuisi in a thank you letter to the FCCPC said he got his money back after the intervention of the Nigerian authorities:
Attached is the letter:
OBSERVERS TIMES previously reported how
Ndubuisi Ekwulonu said he left Sweden on September 9 and came into Nigeria on 10. Now that he’s trying to leave the country back to Sweden to resume his job, he said NCDC officials are frustrating him.
He explained that at the airport, FG informed them they’ll have to fill a form upon arrival for Covid-19 test. He chose the option to pay on arrival. When he arrived at Nnamdi Azikiwe airport in Abuja, he paid with his bank card and was debited N42, 750.
He explained that he was given two lab options to carry out the Covid-19 test. He went to the address closest to him only to discover that it’s a plaza in Abuja, not a lab. He went to different places before finding the lab.
To carry out the test, they had to receive confirmation of his payment, he explained. He said he waited the whole day and the next for his name to show up that he has paid so he can do the Covid-19 test. However, his name never came up. Two people on the same flight with him couldn’t find their names either.
He said NCDC officials asked that he pays another N42,759 for the test which he paid and the test was done.
He stated that if he doesn’t do the test, he’ll be banned from leaving Nigeria and he needs to leave to start work on Monday.
He said he is supposed to leave Nigeria on Saturday against his Monday resumption but he received another message before then stating he has to do another test again and pay a third time to get his Covid-19 result.
“We’re like two hundred and something passengers on that flight and everybody paid this money,” he lamented after paying multiple times for Covid-19 tests without seeing his result.
Crying, the man vowed not to return to Nigeria if he leaves because of how Nigerians are treated in their own country.
“The stress is too much. The stress I’ve passed through since one week I’m in Nigeria. You can’t imagine it. It’s not good.
“We have a bad name abroad, if you’re coming to your country, you’ll still face a bad name. It’s not good. Still the test, they can’t upload it on their system. And if I’m leaving on Saturday and I didn’t show on the system, they’ll ban me from leaving Nigeria.”