The Rivers State Government has solicited the support of traditional rulers to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
Chairman of the Rivers State Interministerial Committee on Coronavirus, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim who said this at the committee’s meeting with members of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt urged them to assist the government by monitoring social distancing and enforcing the closure of markets in their localities.
Nsirim who is also the state Commissioner for Information and Communications urged the royal fathers to help in enlightening their people on the importance of maintaining high level personal hygiene.
The commissioner said the present situation had shown the need for residents of the state to imbibe new set of values and orientations.
He said the prompt action by Governor Nyesom Wike on the closure of markets, night clubs, borders and drinking joints was responsible for the only one index case recorded in the state, while adding that the state government has singled out the traditional institution to be major players in curbing the spread of the disease.
Nsirim said it was the hope of the committee that with the help of the traditional rulers, information on the virus would be spread across the entire state.
The commissioner also urged them to discourage their people against the use of local herbs to cure the virus, adding that anyone with the symptoms of the virus should call the designated phone lines. Also speaking, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Igbiks Tamuno urged people in the rural areas to practice elementary hygiene through regular washing of hands with water and soap and keeping their surrounding clean .
Dr Tamuno stressed the need for people to take responsibility for their health by ensuring social distancing and maintaining personal hygiene. He urged the traditional rulers to take the message to their domains.