Ugochukwu Iwuchukwu
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has ordered a 24 hours lockdown in Port Harcourt, the State Capital.
Governor Nyesom Wike during a broadcast at Government House on Monday said the lockdown will commence on Thursday 7th May, 2020 in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
The Governor during the broadcast said the extreme measures was taken after careful considerations with relevant stakeholders in a bid to curtail the spread of coronavirus in Rivers State.
Nyesom Wike said that the 24 hour lockdown will be in effect till further notice.
He directed residents of Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas to remain at home.
“On no account should there be any vehicular movements 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 said.
Wike also directed all transporter to limit the number of their passengers in the state.
He said taxi drivers must not carry more than three passengers, while tricycle drivers (Keke) were ordered not to carry more than two passengers.
Wike insisted that passengers and drivers must wear face masks at all time.
The Governor warned that any driver that violates the directives would be prosecuted.
”In view of the foregoing, Government has resolved to impose additional measures by the Executive Order, I have just signed, which are targeted at reinforcing our efforts toward stopping the spread of the virus in the State, as follows:
“(i) All residents must wear face masks before stepping out of their homes to the public space;
(ii) The operations of all private motor parks, taxi ranks and loading bays throughout the State is hereby prohibited;
(iii) No commercial taxi driver should carry more than three passengers in his vehicles per trip;
(iv) No commercial bus driver should carry more than 40 per cent of full capacity of his vehicle;
(v) All tricycles (Keke NAPEP) must limit their passengers to two persons only;
(vi) No private vehicle should carry more than three persons in the car;
(vii) All drivers, persons or passengers in commercial and private vehicles, including tricycles, must wear face masks and observe the use of sanitizers;
(viii) All hotels, guest houses and beer parlours must remain closed;
(ix) A task force has been set-up to:
(a) arrest and prosecute any person without wearing face masks in public places or inside vehicles;
(b) impound and auction any vehicle with persons or passengers without wearing facemasks;
(c) arrest and prosecute any driver loading or off-loading passengers at any private motor-park, taxi rank or loading bay;
(d) impound and auction any vehicle loading or off-loading passengers at any private park, taxi rank or loading bay; and
(e) confiscate and auction any hotel and guest houses operating in defiance of the ban.”
(f) Government will give N100,000.00 to any whistle blower who gives out relevant information leading to the arrest and prosecution of any person, hotelier or motorist that violates these directives.
The Governor said all hoteliers must provide the State Task Force on COVID-19 with the manifest of those already lodged in their hotels before the coming into effect of this directive.1
