Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers has read a riot act to oil workers seeking to gain entrance into Rivers state.
The Governor said all oil workers seeking to gain entry into the state must have their COVID-19 test results with them.
Wike expressed this in a statement released by his media aide, Monday Simeon Nwakaudu which said all waivers earlier granted to oil and gas companies have been reviewed.
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Wike alleged that most of the COVID-19 cases in the state were oil workers flown in by Bristow Helicopter service from an offshore oil-field in neighbouring Akwa-Ibom.
Excerpts from the statement read;
“Given the threat posed to the state by oil and gas company workers, it has reviewed all entry waivers and permits earlier granted to oil and gas companies.”
“From now on, requests for waivers and entry permits from oil and gas companies will be considered on a case by case basis;
“All inward-bound vehicles and flights into Rivers State from oil and gas companies with workers for crew change or other essential operations must first submit details of their manifests to the State’s Taskforce on COVID-19 for proper vetting of their virus status before they can be allowed to enter the state.
“All operators of chartered flights into Rivers State for oil and gas operations, especially Bristow and Caverton Helicopters, should please comply with this directive and refrain from jeopardizing the lives of our people for the sake of making profits.
“As a government, we cannot abdicate this compelling responsibility and abandon our people to chances in the midst of this much dreaded and ravaging pandemic.”
Rivers State currently has 14 COVID-19 cases.