Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, announced that the government will establish a task force to man the state’s borders to ensure Rivers people are protected from coronavirus.
Signing the Executive Order RVSG-02 No. 3 -2020 at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said the task force will be in place because of the likelihood of sabotage from federal security agencies.
He said: “This is the third executive order that I will be signing since the coronavirus pandemic started. This third executive order is very important.
“We suspect there will be sabotage on the part of the security agencies. That is why we are appointing a task force to man our borders. We owe our people a duty to protect them. There is likely to be sabotage. Our task force will be at the borders to protect our people,” he said.
Governor Wike said the release of Exxon Mobil staff was strictly on the intervention of respected Nigerians and not due to the threat to embark on strike.
“No federal agency spoke to us. But there were respected Nigerians who intervened and they were released by 8am on Sunday.
“Exxon Mobil signed and agreed that they will take back their staff to Eket. That was the condition we gave for their release,” he said.
Governor Wike announced that the laws on restriction of movement must be implemented for the safety of everyone.
“On Sunday, we arrested some staff of BOA who violated the law. They have been arraigned in court and remanded,” he said.
He reiterated that coronavirus is no respecter of persons, pointing out that it has killed both influential and less-privileged, hence the need to be more vigilant.
On the Dumping of Waste in Public Places (Prohibition) Bill 2020, Wike said the government will employ 3,000 environmental sanitation marshals to implement the law.