The participation of foreign countries in the upcoming ‘Greater Lagos Regatta’ Festival has been cancelled by the Lagos State Government in response to the Coronavirus epidemic. The government has decided to scale down the number of participants for the event and is not allowing foreign participants from affected countries to take part.
The festival, organized by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, aims to showcase the tourism potential of Lagos State and promote the state to potential tourism investors. This decision comes after the Federal government confirmed another Covid-19 infected foreigner, prompting the Lagos State Government to take measures to protect its citizens and Nigerians in general in light of the global outbreak of Coronavirus.
Mrs. Uzamat AkinbiIe-Yusuf, the Lagos State commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, emphasized that the event is not being cancelled, but the State is taking steps to prevent participation from foreign countries due to the current global threat of COVID-19. She also mentioned that the ministry is working with the Ministry of Health to ensure the safety of Lagosians during and after the program by providing hand sanitizers and setting up hand washing points.