Rivers state governor takes drastic step to fighting coronavirus

The Rivers State Government led by Governor Nyesom Wike has taken a drastic step to fighting the deadly coronavirus COVID-19 in the state.

Wike has signed an Executive Order that makes it criminal to carry out a burial without his approval.

The signed Executive Order, prescribes N10 million fine for any burial conducted against the provisions of the order.

The order requires anyone planning a burial to seek the consent of the Governor in writing through the Commission for Health.

The Order: RVSG – 122020, which has been gazetted, issued new guidelines for conducting burials during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Section 3 stipulated that any person intending to hold a public burial in the state or take any corpse outside the state for burial must apply to the governor for approval.

The order, which took effect from June 5, said an application for such burial of any person that died from February 1, 2020, must be accompanied by a death certificate showing whether or not the death was related to COVID-19.

Section 4 of the order read: “The applicant shall pay a penalty of N10,000,000 to the government of Rivers State for any breach of the conditions, guidelines or protocols specified in the approval and set out herein.”

It stated where the person died of coronavirus, the burial must hold between 9am to 12noon, with not more than 50 persons, including family members, in attendance.

The order further also provided that every person attending the burial must maintain social distancing of two metres, adding that all surfaces and enclosures must be decontaminated after the burial.