COVID-19: Wike places Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor LGs under total lockdown

Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike, has announced a 24-hour total lockdown and a dusk to dawn curfew on Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas as part of the state government’s measures to check the spread of coronavirus.

In a broadcast on Monday, Governor Wike said: “Consequently, we have decided on the extreme measure of placing the entire Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas under a 24 -hour total lockdown from May 7 until further notice.”

The governor said with the declaration, all residents of Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas must stay at home.

He said: “On no account should there be any vehicular movement or gathering of more than two persons in these local government areas, except those on essential services with appropriate authorization;

“All shops, trading or business activities, including currency exchange in these local government areas must also remain closed until further notice.

“All landlords are advised to ensure that no shop or trading activity is opened or carried out in or around their premises or risk the confiscation of their property by the government.

“Any person, group or institution that violates the lockdown and curfew in these local government areas will be made to face the full wrath of the law.”

He directed the immediate arrest and prosecution of Chief B.A. Worgu and Mr. Isaiah Abraka for allegedly organising night markets in defiance of an existing ban on such activity.

Governor Wike said given the threat posed to the state by oil and gas company workers, it has reviewed all entry waivers and permits earlier granted to oil and gas companies.

According to him, requests for waivers and entry permits from oil and gas companies will be considered on a case by case basis.

Also, all inward-bound vehicles and flights into the state by oil and gas companies with workers for crew change or other essential operations must submit details of their manifests to the state’s task force on COVID-19 for vetting of their virus status before they can enter the state.

He appealed to operators of chartered flights into the state for oil and gas operations, especially Bristow and Caverton Helicopters, to comply with the directive and refrain from jeopardizing the lives of the people of the state.

The governor warned the chief medical director of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital to stop politizing the issue of coronavirus in the state with his irresponsible and ill-motivated utterances.

Wike pointed out that the latest coronavirus positive case was was flown into Port Harcourt by Bristow Helicopters from an offshore oil field facility in Akwa Ibom state on April 29.

He asserted that these positive cases have shown and confirmed the state government’s fears that unvetted entry of oil and gas workers from Lagos, Abuja and elsewhere remains a potential source for the importation and spread of COVI/D-19 in the state.

READ ALSO: “Covid-19 Pandemic has exposed long history of failed governance in Africa”

The governor announced new additional measures imposed by the state, including the compulsory wearing of face masks in public, prohibition of the operations of private motor parks, taxi ranks and loading bays throughout the state and limiting the number of passengers that private cars, taxis, commercial buses and tricycles can carry.

“All hotels, guest houses and beer parlours must remain closed. A task force has been set-up to arrest and impound, and auction any vehicle with persons or passengers not wearing face masks.

“Arrest and prosecute any driver loading or off-loading passengers at any private motor-park, taxi rank or loading bay, impound and auction any vehicle loading or off-loading passengers at any private park, taxi rank or loading bay as well as confiscate and auction any hotel and guest houses operating in defiance of the ban,” he added.

Similarly, Wike revealed that the state government will give N100,000 to any whistleblower who gives out relevant information leading to the arrest and prosecution of any person, hotelier or motorist that violates the new directives.

He noted that while the state government is battling the importation of the virus, the greatest threat to people’s lives is posed not from outsiders, but by residents who refuse to comply with the established directives.