Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike says he does not want Bonny Local Government Area of the State to become the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic, hence he wants to lockdown the area to halt community spread of the disease there.  

Wike said this today during a meeting with the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, Perekule XI, the Bonny Council of Chiefs (BCC), the member representing Bonny Constituency in the rivers State House of Assembly, Abinye Pepple, the State Commissioner for Local Governments, Rodaford Longjohn, Chairman of Bonny LGA, David Irimagha, and other stakeholders from Bonny LGA at Government House, Port Harcourt.

He urged traditional institution and opinion leaders in Bonny Kingdom to ensure that their people understood the reality of COVID-19 and the attendant consequences of not adhering to the protocols for keeping safe and checkmating community transmission of the disease.

In a statement by the State Commissioner for Information, Paulinus Nsirim, the State Chief Executive, therefore solicited the cooperation of the people of the area with the state government to ensure that all COVID-19 protocols are obeyed to contain the spread of the pandemic in the area.

“Bonny is strategic to the national economy and we have to work together to ensure that the disease does not cripple the economy.

“We have to make our people to stop living in denial about the existence of COVID-19 because such attitude will not allow them to take the necessary precautions.

“The results of samples collected from Bonny indicate that it could be an epicentre of the pandemic in the state if a drastic action is not taken. Some of us do not appreciate that we have to make sacrifices if that is going to save our people.”

“It is not something our people should pretend that it does not exist. Something that has taken the world by storm and killing more than conventional warfare should be taken seriously.

The Governor, who said the State Security Council would meet on June 17, 2020 to review the situation in Bonny to consider a possible lockdown, warned that the rising cases of the pandemic in the State should give every right thinking person serious concern.

The Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, Perekule XI, regretted that despite efforts made to enlighten the people, most of them still live in denial.

While pledging the support of the kingdom to the state government in addressing the health crisis, King Pepple III appealed that medical relief and palliatives should be provided to ease the hardship the people might experience during lockdown.

Vice Chairman of the Bonny Council of Chiefs (BCC), Se-Alabo Hanniel Jack-Wilson Pepple commended Governor Wike for putting the lives of the people first in the fight against COVID-19 and for approving a 30-Bed Treatment Centre for Bonny.

Other dignitaries at the meeting were the State Deputy Governor, Ipalibo Banigo, the State Commissioner for Health, Professor Princewill Chike, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, Desmond Akawor, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Emeka Woke, former Commissioner for Women Affairs in the State, Toru Ofili, and Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple, among others.