River State lawmakers made up of Senate and House of Representatives members have cautioned the federal government not to meddle with affairs of the state under the leadership of Governor Nyesom Wike.
Recall that the federal government on Wednesday flayed Wike over two Caverton’s pilots who were recently arrested in Port Harcourt for allegedly violating the lockdown order imposed by the Rivers State government- saying they were due authorised to fly.
The minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the pilots had the permission of the federal government to fly.
However, Rivers NASS caucus on Thursday night, faulted Sirika’s position in a statement made available to newsmen – the lawmakers also declared support for governor Wike’s sanctions on Caverton’s ‘unauthorised’ flight into Rives State.
The statement reads:” We are aware that there is a Global pandemic Covid-19 ravaging the entire globe with nearly 1.5million people already known to have been infected and over 80,000 deaths recorded officially thereby compelling all nations to take steps to contain and halt its spread and safeguard the lives of citizens, Nigeria also is making efforts in this direction.
One of the steps and actions taken by different countries include lockdowns, restrictions of movements into and out of areas and even within an area. Flights have also been affected.
In Nigeria, as a federation, several states were quite proactive and took steps to contain the pandemic which Rivers State also did and deriving from the Quarantine Act, issued guidelines and protocols to guide and direct the activities of Government and its citizens during the period of the lockdown and restrictions.
To the consternation of all, Caverton helicopters was observed sadly to be ferrying passengers into Rivers State from unknown destinations without any declaration of their Covid-19 status and or prior information to the state for its health officers to be on ground. This action no doubt endangered the lives of the citizens and all those residing in Rivers State and is contrary to the executive orders RVSG-01, 2020 Made pursuant to sections 2,4 and 8 of the Quarantine Act, Cap. Q21 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Regulation 11 of the Quarantine (Corona Virus (Covid-19))and other infectious diseases regulations 2020.
