RIVERS STATE GOVERNOR NYESOM WIKE POSTPONES THE COMPLETE LOCKDOWN ON SOME PARTS OF PORT HARCOURT
Governor Nyesom Wike has postponed the earlier scheduled total lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas to Sunday, May 17 2020.
The lockdown which was scheduled to begin on Thursday, May 14 after the two-day grace provided has been reviewed to a night-time curfew, Governor Wike said during a statewide broadcast.
Hence, rather than a total lockdown, “there will be a night-time curfew in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas from 8.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. on Thursday May 14 2020, Friday May 15 2020, and Saturday May 16 2020,” Wike said.
The governor said these changes were made because he observed that residents in the affected Local Government Areas had difficulties preparing for the total lockdown because they could not access money from banks.
Wike reiterated that the lockdown is a necessary measure, universally applied, to mitigate community transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic hinting that it is not a punitive exercise.
“Suffice to mention that no deliberate harm is ever intended or targeted at anybody neither are we happy with the prevailing hardship on the people as a result of measures we have adopted to fight this deadly virus,” he explained.
“But, the overall interest, security and wellbeing of our people remain our primary motivation for what we have done and will continue to do to combat and protect our State from the Covid-19 scourge.”
Governor Wike had faced heavy criticism when he supervised the demolition of two hotels for defying lockdown orders although he claimed that his administration did no wrong.
Maritime and port workers also threatened to withdraw their services across the country because their members who were on their way from essential duties were imprisoned by COVID-19 taskforce enforcers led by Wike.
The Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday ordered the withdrawal of all security personnel attached to Rivers State COVID-19 task force and the Inspector General of Police also ordered the release of all those locked in police cells for COVID-19 violation in the state.
Comments