COVID-19: Wike orders monarchs to enforce markets, hotels closure
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has directed traditional rulers in the state to set up task forces in their respective communities to enforce the closure of markets, hotels and bars across the state.
Addressing the traditional rulers at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Governor Wike said the shutdown was necessary to slow down the spread of coronavirus in the state.
He said: “Set up your own task force in your respective domains and implement the closure of markets, hotels and beer parlours.
“This task force is strictly for COVID-19. The state government will support all traditional rulers to carry out these responsibilities.”
Governor Wike appealed to the traditional rulers to work with his administration to check the transmission of coronavirus.
The governor also called on the state traditional rulers council to ensure that they support all their members to deliver on the directive.
The governor regretted that the federal government has started playing double standards with the issue of relocation of ‘almajiris’.
He said: “When they started relocating the ‘almajiris’ in the north, the federal government said nothing. Immediately they heard that we have relocated some ‘almajiris’, they came up with the declaration that it is against the inter-state movement. Why this double standard?”
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Governor Wike noted that his administration has continued to work on the state’s borders to ensure that they remain closed and charged local government chairmen to take more stringent measures to stop the influx of persons into the state.
The Governor warned that from Thursday any shop that opens in Obio/Akpor or Port Harcourt Local Government Area, the building housing the shops would be demolished.
Responding, Chairman of the Rivers state Council of Traditional Rulers, King Douglas Jaja, thanked the governor for involving the traditional rulers in the fight against coronavirus.
He assured that the traditional rulers would live up to his expectations by carrying out the state government’s directive.
