Tobias Sylvester
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has declared that the coronavirus lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas will resume by 8pm on Sunday, May 17, 2020 until further notice.
In a state broadcast on Wednesday, the governor said the total lockdown would no longer resume today (Thursday) following two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) break for residents to restock their food and medicals.
Wike said the decision to extend the relaxation of the lockdown till Sunday was due to the suffering that he saw that people were going through to restock and access funds from banks when he went out for monitoring.
The governor said though the lockdown was a necessary measure to mitigate community transmission of the covid-19 pandemic, “our own situation is not and can’t be different.”
“In consideration of the foregoing, the concerns of our people, and the need for residents to replenish their supplies, especially, the State Security Council has decided to impose a night-time curfew and review the effective date of the complete lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas from May 14, 2020 to Sunday, May 17, 2020 by 8.00 p.m.
“Consequently, there will be: (i) a night-time curfew from 8p.m. to 6a.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2020, Friday, May 15, 2020, and Saturday, May 16, 2020; (ii) while the total lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas will immediately follow from 8p.m. Sunday May 17, 2020 until further notice.
“We understand the consequential difficulties, but what we can do in the circumstance is to appeal to the public to endure the attendant discomfort as inevitable sacrifice for the common good of all.
“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.
“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 said the residents must be ready to make the needed sacrifice to keep the virus in check.
“Covid-19 is not only here with us; it is increasing in number of infections as we recorded 16 new cases for today, the highest since the index case, which goes to confirm the need to be d tough in our mitigation strategies.
“And so, there is no room for politics in this matter. We must discharge our abiding duty to use the primary weapons at our disposal to combat this virus and contain its spread, lest we regret the consequences of our inactivity and indiscretions,” he said.
He said all night curfew with continue in the affected local government areas from 8.00 p.m. to 6.00 till the total lockdown resumes.
“Furthermore, all residents are again advised to comply with all other established measures, including the compulsory wearing of face masks and the closure of our land, sea and air boundaries and entry routes, which are still in force.
“We expect residents to make good use of the new Four-day daytime window to purchase, restock and prepare for the total lockdown,” the governor added.
Furthermore, Wike said all residents are again advised to comply with all other established measures, including the compulsory wearing of face masks and the closure of our land, sea and air boundaries and entry routes, which are still in force.
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