Rivers state’s governor, Nyesom Wike, announced on Tuesday that the state security council took all decisions in fighting the state’s COVID-19 pandemic, claiming he was not a dictator.
Rivers state’s governor Wike also emphasized his government was not in arms against the state’s hoteliers.
Governor Wike disclosed this while addressing the Nigeria Hotel Association Executive, Rivers State Chapter who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt.
In a statement signed and released Tuesday by the Information and Communications Commissioner, Paulinus Nsirim, Wike revealed he has nothing against the state’s hoteliers.
The statement reads thus;
“All decisions taken by the Rivers State’s Governor are for the overall good and interest of the Rivers people as no right thinking government will deliberately take decisions that will negatively affect the lives of the people.
“I don’t take decisions alone in the fight against COVID-19. All decisions are taken by the State Security Council and they are for the overall interest of Rivers people.
“You know people applaud government decisions when it suits them but when it does not favour them they say it is politically motivated.
“Rivers State Government does not have anything against hoteliers in the state, but decided to shutdown their activities because some cases of COVID-19 were recorded in hotels”.
The governor also criticized the hoteliers for failing to assist the government in providing accurate information about people in their hotels who tested positive for the coronavirus.
He said that sufficient information would have helped the State Ministry of Health and other related agencies monitor the contacts properly
“It’s not possible that the State Government will intentionally close down hotels. But what I see is that people play politics with everything.
“The demolition of Prodest Hotel and Etemeteh Hotel in Eleme Local Government Area by the State Government became necessary because the owners failed to comply with Executive Order 7,” he said.
The governor said he was more pained than any other citizen in the state that due to COVID-19, churches and mosques were unable to carry out their full religious activities.
He said: “I can’t believe that I will be sitting here as a Governor and take a painful decision that will make churches and mosques not to hold full religious activities”
The governor thanked members of the association for partnering with government efforts in the war against COVID- 19.
Responding to Wike ‘s comment, State Chairman of the association, Mr. Eugene Nwauzi commended Wike for leading the fight against coronavirus in the country.
Nwauzi noted that the spread of COVID-19 would have taken on a dangerous depth in the state, but for the efforts put in place by the governor.
However, he called on the government to lift the ban on hotel businesses, ensuring that hoteliers should strictly follow all measures put in place to prevent the spread of the virus.