The Rivers State government has set aside N2 Billion for the purchase of food items from farmers and fishermen in the state for distribution to residents of the state.
This is as the government announced that the state coronavirus index case, a 19-year old model, will be discharged before weekend.
Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who announced this on Monday while briefing journalists at Government House, Port Harcourt, said the measure is to cushion the effects of the lockdown on residents of the state.
Wike said: “The state government has set aside the sum of N2Billion to buy-off farm products from farmers and fishermen in the state. We distribute same to residents of the state as part of palliatives.
“We want to ensure that all yams, plantain, fish and other farm produce does not leave Rivers State. It is time for our farmers and fishermen to go back to their vocation.”
He stated that a committee has been set to handle the measure with the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo as Chairman and the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim as Secretary.
Wike, who decried the politicization of the fight against Coronavirus by the Federal Government, wondered why grants would be given to Lagos State when nothing was given to Rivers State, which host the country’s oil and gas hub.
The governor said: “Lagos is the commercial capital of Nigeria, we agree, but Rivers State is the oil and gas capital where all the country’s money comes from.”
“We would have recorded more cases if we did not take the proactive step we took by shutting down all our borders and stopping flights into Rivers State.”
