The Rivers State Government has declared Caverton
Helicopters, Persona Non Grata in the state and ordered the closure of all its
offices in the state.
In a State Broadcast on Wednesday, Rivers State Governor,
Nyesom Wike directed Local Government Council Chairmen to close the offices of
Caverton Helicopters across the state.
He said: “We appreciate the need to protect business
interests and operations in the State and we will do whatever that is required
to ensure that no business is unduly affected by the measures we have taken to
combat the Coronavirus.
“However, we shall not welcome businesses or companies that
value their business activities or profit more than or in clear disregard of
the lives and health of our people.
“By its actions Caverton Helicopters have clearly shown that
Rivers lives do not matter to it. It is an enemy of Rivers people and is hereby
declared persona non grata in Rivers State.
“With this declaration, Caverton Helicopters can only chose
to operate in any part of Rivers State at its own risk as Local Government
Chairmen have been directed to close their offices and prevent their
operations.”
Wike said that the highly insensitive and provocative
actions of Caverton Helicopters took place in the midst of credible
intelligence reports about plans by enemies of the state to traffic carriers of
the dreaded Coronavirus into the State.
He said: “Their morbid intention is to create panic by
pushing up the infection rate and rubbish the robust measures we have since put
in place to cut off the spread of the virus and keep our State and our citizens
safe and secure from the ravaging pandemic.
“As expected, and required by our laws, the crew and the
passengers on board that ill-fated helicopter were promptly arrested by the law
enforcement personnel and are being prosecuted before our courts in line with
our COVID 19 Declarations and Containment Orders.
“Caverton Helicopters claimed to have gotten permits from
some federal agencies to fly passengers into the State , which never bordered
to take the State Government into confidence in issuing such permits in violation
of our laws and containment orders.
“While federal agencies reserve the right to issue flight
permits to airline operators to fly into Rivers State, we insist that the State
Government must equally be informed and taken into confidence in the process.
“This the only way to avoid suspicion, conflicts of
interests and unnecessary bickering between the State and Federal Governments
in our collective efforts to combat the spread of COVID 19 in the country.”
Wike added: “Let me reiterate that for us, COVID-19 in
Rivers State is a matter of life and death, and we will never succumb to any
blackmail from any person, institution or authority in our determination to
protect our citizens and our State from the spread of this deadly virus.
“Since we triggered the law on Caverton Helicopters, we have
seen and read all sorts of hilarious and frivolous comments, particularly on
social media, questioning the propriety of our actions against the carrier and
its passengers.
“At this time and under the present situation, nothing;
Irepeat; nothing, is more important to us than to safeguard the lives and
wellbeing of our citizens no matter the cost, and we shall spare no efforts to
achieve this singular most fundamental objective of our Government.”
The Rivers State Governor said that the action of Caverton
Helicopters when they conveyed passengers of doubtful Coronavirus status into
the State was in flagrant violation of the State Government’s total restriction
on flights into Port Harcourt.
“We have sworn to protect the lives and advance the
wellbeing our people, and nothing can stop us from taking all necessary steps
to prevent or stop any person, action or activities that would endanger the
lives of our citizens,” he said.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com