COVID-19: Is Gov Wike’s Total Lockdown In Rivers State Appropriate?

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has placed a total lockdown in Obio-Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas of the state starting from 7th of May, 2020.

The Governor made the announcement on Monday during a live broadcast at Government House in Port Harcourt. The total lockdown which will commence on Thursday will run indefinitely.

According to Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Rivers State has only recorded 14 cases of covid-19 with only two deaths while two have been discharged from isolation center. The number of active cases of covid-19 I Rivers State is 10.

The residents have since the announcement taken to their various social media platforms to lament on the decision of the Governor and how it will drastically breed hunger in the state.

Some argued if Gov Wike has the constitutional power to outdo the decision of President Buhari on the issue of lockdown. Recall that President Buhari had during his broadcast placed a curfew (6am – 8pm) in all the states beginning from 4th of May, 2020 and most states also ended their existing curfew/restrictions in other to accommodate that of the President. But unfortunately, Gov Wike decided to place a total lockdown in two Local Government Areas of Rivers State to start three days after the curfew announced by the President.

Is this a show of power between the federal government and the state government? I will leave this question to the hands of the readers, masses to answer, so that, I don’t become the judge in this matter.

Do you also think the decision of the Governor to place these major Local Government Areas of the state on total lockdown indefinitely appropriate?? I will still leave you to answer that.

By this announcement, the price of goods in the markets within these Local Government Areas has sky rocketed within hours of the announcement and i begin to wonder if we (sellers) can also be this callous to ourselves.

A paint of Garri, a basin of Garri, a carton of noodles, and many other ingredients needed to keep souls alive while observing the lockdown has gone up? Where are we expected to get money from to purchase these items between Monday to Wednesday??

In a time where some states are beginning to look at how to relax their states lockdown gently, Rivers State is thinking of how to place an indefinite lockdown on her citizens.

After this covid-19 pandemic, we will surely have many stories to share to our children and the other generations.

Juachi “profjay” Ochu writes from Rivers State.