Rivers State Government has announced the temporary lifting of the total lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas for two days only, with effect from Tuesday 12th May 2020.
Governor Nyesom Wike announced this in a State-Wide broadcast on Sunday night.
He said that the total lockdown will be lifted on Tuesday 12th May, 2020 and Wednesday, 13th May, 2020.
Governor Wike said the lockdown will be reinstated on Thursday, 14th May, 2020.
“We have given due consideration to the propositions on the way forward by well-meaning citizens of the State, and after a cautious review of the situation, decided to implement a partial relaxation of the lockdown measures, to enable residents to have some fresh air and replenish their foodstuffs and medicines.
“To this end, I hereby announce the temporary lifting of the total lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Governments Areas for two days only, with effect from Tuesday 12th May 2020.
“Similarly, all hospitals and banks can also open and provide full services to the public. While oil and gas companies are required to submit the list of their staff on essential duties to Government, note that there is no ban on the lifting of petroleum products from depots and other receptacles.
“The total lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas will be reinstated on Thursday 14th May 2020 and remain until further notice.”
Governor Wike said all other established restrictions under the Executive Orders on social distancing are still in force.
The governor explained that all the measures and actions of his government are not arbitrary but fully prescribed, guided and backed by the ordinary laws of the State, especially Executive Order numbers 1 to 6, which apply equally to all persons throughout the State.
“As a Government, we are obliged to enforce our laws, and in the present circumstance, we have done so without fear or favour. We equally made it loud and clear that in the fight against COVID-19 there would be no sacred cows, no double standards, and no sentiments of any kind, whether political, ethnic, religious, status, emotional or otherwise.
“In the last few days, we have pursued with vigour and secured several convictions against those who intentional violated our COVID-19 containment laws in the same way others States are doing.
“The forfeited trucks to be auctioned by Deputy Sherriff were not confiscated arbitrarily by the State Government, but by the orders of our Courts,” the governor explained.
Governor Wike stated that the demolition of the two hotels in Eleme was done in line with extant laws.
“We acted against the hotelier because, apart from using the facility to jeopardize the lives of our citizens in violation of the extant law, the owner audaciously unleashed thugs led by the Eleme Local Government Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party and inflicted severe injuries on our task-force members who went to enforce the law against the continued operation of the hotel.
“As we speak, nobody knows the fate of the lives of most of the victims of that brazen and deadly attack given the severity of the head injuries they sustained.
“And so, we’ve done no wrong as all our actions were taken in good faith and justified by, under and within the purview of the Executive Orders, which have neither been challenged nor set aside by any competent court of law,” said the governor.
Wike further said he remains focused on protecting Rivers people.
In his words, “while we welcome genuine criticisms directed towards strengthening our intervention measures, it is no use joining issues with uninformed critics and social media legal practitioners who, blinded and prodded by sheer politics, bias and hatred, have opted to demonize and paint our lawful and responsible actions in a bad light.
“Granted that we may not have totally achieved our targets, but we are convinced that, so far, the lockdown and the other measures have impacted greatly in containing and preventing the onslaught of the pandemic on Rivers State.
“We, therefore, thank the entire people of Rivers State for the overwhelming understanding you have shown even as you continue to endure the pains of the restrictions on your wellbeing and fundamental freedoms.”
