Following the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike in a latest statement has directed officials of the Local Government Task Force to identify hotels operating during the lockdown for demolition, IgbereTV report.
Gov Wike gave this directive on Thursday while inaugurating the Rivers State COVID-19 Local Government Task Force at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Aside from identifying hotels, the governor also charged the task force to identify erring beer parlours.
Wike said, “From tomorrow, move into any hotel that is operating, identify it and we will bring down the hotels.
“I have the political will. Those people who disobey will face the consequences.”
Governor Wike also stressed that the officials must be decisive to ensure that the virus is not accommodated in the state, adding that they are being drafted to fight an invisible killer as well as defend the state.
“Nobody should come from outside to compound our problems and import this invisible killer. We will not accept that” he added.
He, however, appealed to the residents to support the taskforce by sacrificing their time in the fight against the pandemic, emphasising that all hands must be on deck.
“We should not allow what is happening to continue, we don’t have the capacity to face it and there will be no support from any quarter,” he said.
Wike also assured members of the Rivers State COVID-19 Local Governments Task Force of their wages as he stated that they will be on the payroll of the State Government.
Hotels with existing guests, were however, instructed to send their lists to the office of the governor for scrutiny and approval.