COVID-19: Wike reviewed free movement waiver to oil workers

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has reviewed the earlier waiver granted oil workers over the restriction of movement in the state, stating that almost all positive coronavirus cases in Rivers are imported from outside of the state.

Announcing the review in a state-wide broadcast on Monday, the governor said that henceforth: “requests for waivers and entry permits from oil and gas companies will be considered on a case by case basis.”

In addition, he said that “all inward-bound vehicles and flights into Rivers State from oil and gas companies with workers for crew change or other essential operations must first submit details of their manifests to the state’s Task Force on COVID-19 for proper vetting of their virus status before they can be allowed to enter the state.

“All operators of chartered flights into Rivers State for oil and gas operations, especially Bristow and Caverton Helicopters should please comply with this directive and refrain from jeopardizing the lives of our people for the sake of making profits.”

He explained that the state was forced to take these decisions because of the threat posed to the state by oil and gas company workers pointing out that the latest which is the 14th case in the state was flown into Port Harcourt by Bristow Helicopters from an offshore oilfield facility in Akwa Ibom State on April 29, 2020.

Wike said, “These positive cases have shown and confirmed our fears that unvetted entry of oil and gas workers from Lagos, Abuja and elsewhere remains a potential source for the importation and spread of COVID-19 in our state.

“We have also observed with disappointment the persistent disobedience to the State Government’s lawful orders and or directives on COVID-19 by a number of communities and residents, especially in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas despite repeated warning.

“On the whole, we can all see that COVID-19 cases confirmed across the country are growing in numbers, meaning that the situation in our state, although still relatively low, can change for the worse if we relax our measures or become complacent.”

Therefore, the state resolved to impose additional measures by the Executive Order, signed by the governor, which are targeted at reinforcing efforts toward stopping the spread of the virus in the state.

These measures include a 24-hour total lockdown and a dusk-dawn curfew on Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, the two local government predominantly constituting the state capital, from Thursday, May 7, 2020, until further notice.

Other measures include, that all residents must wear face masks before stepping out of their homes to the public space; the operations of all private motor parks, taxi ranks and loading bays throughout the state are hereby prohibited and that no commercial taxi driver should carry more than three passengers per trip, among many others.

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