Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Sunday, says he may re-impose lockdown beginning from January as the number of CoronaVirus cases surge in the State.
Wike gave the hint of imminent second phase of lockdown amid rising of the COVID-19 during the thanksgiving service in celebration of the 90th birthday of Priscilla Mark, at the St. Martin’s Anglican Church, Omagwa.
The governor expressed his worry over the refusal of most churches and markets to enforce the wearing of face masks as required as a COVID-19 protocol in Rivers.
He stated that the state government had initially relaxed the restriction on the number of persons who worshipped in churches, but with the Second Wave of COVID-19, he would by this week announce new stringent measures to check the spread of COVID-19 cases in the state.
He said, “When you go to some churches, they don’t wear mask. Go to market, they don’t wear mask. They believe COVID is not real.
“It is not real because it has not happened to you; nobody had died whom you know.
“When somebody has died and the person was close to you, you will know that COVID is real.
“So, it is real and I want to appeal to all of you that we have to be stricter now because the second wave is more dangerous than the first wave.
“It’s very, very dangerous. I know how many people we have lost since the second wave started”.
Wike implored the Bishop of the Diocese of Ikwerre to prevail on members of all the churches under his jurisdiction to always wear their face mask.
“If you don’t comply, I have no choice, but to shut down the churches; Pentecostal, Catholic, Anglican.
“I have no choice, because when you have it, who spends the money? It is the state that treats.
“So, we need to use the money for some other things, but not for this. Let us discipline ourselves and know that COVID is real.
“Let nobody tell you that there is nothing like COVID, it’s real.”
Wike pleads with People Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Ikwerre Local government area to use Mark’s 90th birthday to work in unison for the development to the area.
He also used the occasion to extol the Chairman in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Samuel Nwanosike, for his commitment to the development of the area and urged Nwanosike to respect party leaders and ensure that all stakeholders worked in unison to move the State forward.
The governor, who was accompanied by the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, announced a donation of N50 million to the church.
Delivering a sermon titled “Thanking God for His Mercy” the Bishop, Diocese of Ikwerre, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Rev. Blessing Enyindah, stressed the need for people to always acknowledge God’s mercies in their lives.
