Politics
RSG Intensifies Fight Against Coronavirus
The dreaded Coronavirus afflicting the entire world engaged the attention of Government House, Port Harcourt, last week, compelling the State Governor to make double state-wide broadcasts in days.
In a state-wide broadcast last Monday, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, announced the closure of public parks, night clubs, and cinemas.
The Governor also banned public burials, weddings as well as open worship services across the state.
He said after due consultations with religious leaders, it was agreed that all religious organisations were to temporarily stop all forms of open worship, public burials and wedding ceremonies.
The State Chief Executive called on traditional rulers and opinion leaders in the state to assist the State Government to implement Government directives concerning the spread of coronavirus.
Governor Wike, in the broadcast also set up border surveillance monitoring teams to ensure that there was no case of illegal entry or exit from the sea, land and air, stressing that defaulters would be seen as enemies of the state and would be made to face appropriate sanctions.
Noting that the essence of governance is to protect lives, Governor Wike said the state Government could not afford to be indifferent when the COVID-19 continues to claim lives worldwide.
“We urge everyone to remain calm and maintain social distance. We shall continue to review the situation and adjust accordingly.
“Like I said in my broadcast last Friday, these decisions may seem painful for all of us but there is no price that is too much to pay for us to stay alive”, the Governor said.
Before the state-wide broadcast, Governor Wike had earlier, same day, interfaced with religious leaders where they brainstormed and arrived at some crucial decisions, particularly, on social distancing and other strategies to avoid spreading the virus among their members.
It was agreed that, to ensure social distancing, not more than 50 persons should worship at a particular time and hall and to spread out worship time to admit fewer people per time.
Governor Wike, who was compelled to make a second broadcast in the week, precisely on Thursday, however, confirmed an index case of Coronavirus in the state.
“It is however unfortunate that despite all the preventive measures we put in place, our state has recorded a positive case as confirmed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCNC).
“The positive case is a 19- year old female model from Edo State who resides in Port Harcourt. Her travel history reveals that she travelled to France, Italy and Greece before returning to Port Harcourt on the 16th March, 2020.
“On arrival to Port Harcourt, she was symptomatic and commenced self isolation in her family house before her samples were collected and sent to the Reference Laboratory, Irrua, Edo State”, he said.
The Governor explained that the patient who was being managed at the State Treatment Centre was responding excellently well and urged all to remain calm as the State Government was fully prepared to ensure that the incident was contained to avoid further spread.
He said that State Government had commenced contact tracing of all those the 19-year old lady had contact with.
Governor Wike announced the closure of all markets across the state with effect from Saturday, March 28, 2020.
He also directed civil servants from grade levels 1 to 10 to stay at home indefinitely.
Governor Wike called on Council Chairmen to head the Taskforces on compliance while Commissioners and Special Advisers were also to monitor compliance in their various local government areas.
Governor Wike, who, over the weekend, led the State 12-manTaskforce on the Enforcement of ban on public gatherings in order to check spread of the dreaded virus to various places, expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance.
He assured that palliative measures to cussion the effects of the ban on some economic activities would be considered during the second phase of the coronavirus pandemic containment programme in the state.
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
