Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, says all oil workers seeking to come into the state must get the government’s permit and present their coronavirus “status” before they can be allowed entry.

This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, which was posted on Facebook.

According to Nwakaudu, the governor alleged that the latest of the coronavirus cases recorded in the state was flown into Port Harcourt by Bristow Helicopters from an offshore oilfield facility in Akwa Ibom State on the 29th of April 2020.

The statement read in part, “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.

“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.”

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as of Sunday night, 14 COVID-19 infections have so far been reported in the state.