Rivers State Government has temporarily relaxed the restrictions on large religious gatherings to enable Christians carry out their religious obligations during the Easter period.
Governor Nyesom Wike in a state broadcast, yesterday, said the directive also permits the Muslim community to observe Jumaat prayers within the period.
He said: “In the spirit of Easter and after a careful review of the COVID 19 situation, we have decided to temporarily relax the restriction on large religious gatherings, as follows:
“Friday, April 10, 2020 – Moslem faithful should observe Juma’at prayers in their mosques or prayer grounds throughout the state and pray for the peace, forgiveness and the blessings of Allah.
“Sunday, April 12, 2020 – Christians should have Easter church services with their full congregation and pray to God to forgive us of our sins, continue to intervene in our affairs and protect the state and our people from the coronavirus.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the relaxation on mass religious gatherings is limited only to the afore-mentioned respective dates.”
Governor Wike stated that all other restrictions remain.
Meanwhile, the government has inaugurated Food Desks in its 23 local government areas to buy foodstuff from farmers and fishermen on daily basis in the state for distribution to indigenes.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo, and Chairman, Committee to Purchase Foodstuff, made this known in an update with journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
He said the inauguration was part of measures to mitigate the pains resulting from COVID-19 lockdown and explain the modalities of the food purchase by the state government.
According to Danagogo, apart from food desks in the local government areas, the SSG office and that of the commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture are other contact points to reach the committee.
He advised farmers to sell at reasonable prices to support the scheme initiated by Governor Wike to alleviate the suffering of farmers who would be stranded in selling their food.
He said other objectives of the scheme included assisting the populace who might go hungry if the situation, occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic, deteriorated in the state.
The SSG said the state government did not shut farming activities but advised that farmers and fishermen should observe the basic hygiene and social distancing during farming activities.