Rivers lawmakers donate salaries as Isoko council creates emergency markets

Members of the Rivers House of Assembly yesterday resolved to donate their one-month salaries to assist the Governor Nyesom Wike administration in containing the coronavirus outbreak in the state.

The speaker, Ikwuiyi Owaji Ibani, dropped the hint while briefing reporters in Port Harcourt.

He said the Ministry of Finance would effect the deductions and forward them to the committee raised by the government to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ibani said the members took the decision bearing in mind that it was incumbent upon them as responsible representatives to accede to the yearnings of the people

His words: “Based on the feedback so far received from the joint committee on the proactive and preventive measures put in place by the security council of the state headed by the governor and bearing in mind that we are responsible representatives of our various constituencies, we have resolved that a one-month salary of all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly be deducted by the Ministry of Finance and remitted to the committee set up to fight coronavirus in the state.

“This sacrifice is not to the exclusion of other individual contributions of members in their respective constituencies to ameliorate the shocks associated with the pandemic.”

Meanwhile, chairmen of the chamber’s standing committees on health and information and training, Sam Ogeh and Enermi Alabo George, have applauded the preparedness of the COVID-19 committee set up by the state government.

They told newsmen in Port Harcourt that they had interfaced with relevant agencies to curtail the epidemic.

In a related development, the Chairman of Isoko North Local Council of Delta State, Emmanuel Egbabor, has established 17 emergency food markets in the area, appealing to the people to obey the lockdown order of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

The establishment of the markets followed the closure of the conventional ones statewide in compliance with the two-week shutdown directive, which came into effect yesterday.

The new markets are to begin operations from today and would run between 8:00am to 2:00pm daily with warning to traders to adhere to the social distancing order as well from price hike.

Egbabor, in a statement yesterday, said his action was in line with the directive by the governor that emergency food markets could be established in open places to cushion the effects of the lockdown on the citizenry.

His words: “We have designated 17 makeshift venues for sales of foodstuffs in strategic towns within the local government area during the period of the lockdown.”

He went on: “They are located at Ekrovie Primary School Otor-Iyede; Atebo Primary School, Oghara-Iyede; Emewha Primary School, Emevor; Isi Primary School, Isi-Emevor; Azagba Primary School, Otor-Owhe; Uthatho Primary School, Akiehwe-Owhe; Ogbu Primary School, Otibio; and Uruogbe Primary School, Owhelogbo.

“Others include Ekwerigbe Primary School, Ozoro; Egburie Primary School, Ozoro; Ovie Primary School, Ellu; Ebe Primary School, Ovrode; Aradhe Primary School, Aradhe; Oria-Ovo Primary School, Ofagbe; Okabara Primary School, Okpe-Isoko; Elo Primary School, Bethel and Oyede Primary School, Oyede.”