Former President of the Nigeria Bar Association,\u00a0 NBA, Chief Onueze
\nOkocha (SAN) has declared that the Executive Orders signed by Rivers
\nState Governor,\u00a0 Nyesom Ezenwo Wike are appropriate.<\/p>\n
Okocha (SAN) advised anyone who is uncomfortable with the Executive
\nOrders\u00a0 should approach the courts.<\/p>\n
In an interview on Monday,\u00a0 Chief Okocha (SAN) lauded the steps taken by
\nthe Rivers State Governor to fight coronavirus as well thought out and
\nwell advised.\u00a0 He said the steps will help check the spread of
\ncoronavirus.<\/p>\n
He said: “I believe strongly that the measures taken by the Rivers State
\nGovernment, particularly the Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike are well
\nthought out, well advised and I believe that they will to a large extent
\nhelp us to avoid or at least minimize to the barest level the spread of
\nthis coronavirus that they now say causes the illness they called COVID
\n19.”<\/p>\n
“I commend the government, I commend the Governor for these bold and
\nvery laudable steps”<\/p>\n
“And the Executive Orders put in place by the State Governor are
\nappropriate. Everybody accepts that they are calculated to secure our
\nsafety and to reduce to the barest minimum the spread of this
\ncoronavirus. So I don’t believe that anybody has quarreled with any of
\nthese orders.”<\/p>\n
“What I have heard are people flouting those orders and Nigerians some
\ntimes do not understand, some of these measures put in place, some of
\nthese regulations, these laws and orders are for there own good, and
\neverybody should do each of their very best to comply with them.”<\/p>\n
He noted that it was on this basis that the Rivers State Government put
\nin place the Quarantine Coronavirus (COVID 19) and other Infectious
\nDiseases Regulations No. 2 of 2020 which is also in line with Quarantine
\nAct of the Federal Government.<\/p>\n
“Its not everything that is going to be on\u00a0 written law. By the
\nauthority of written law, some orders are made, some regulations are put
\nin place and those flow naturally from the provisions of written law”<\/p>\n
“This is why the Rivers State Government passed a law recently and we
\nalso have the Federal Act, Quarantine Act and many other such
\nregulations that are aimed at dealing with safety and security and then
\nhealth and well being of the people”<\/p>\n
“So, anybody that is arguing that the Executive Orders are
\nunconstitutional should know his options. He should seek legal advice
\nand if necessary go and challenge those orders in a court of law, duly
\nconstituted”<\/p>\n
On the demolition of Prodest Hotel, Alode, Eleme and Etemeteh Hotel,
\nOnne in Eleme Local Government Area, Chief Onueze Okocha said the action
\nof the Governor is justifiable given the several warnings to hoteliers
\nnot to operate within the period.<\/p>\n
“I do not blame the Governor for his action because am aware that the
\nregulation was put in place over two weeks ago for hoteliers and those
\noperating drinking parlours and entertainment centres to close down at
\nleast temporarily until we get grip on how to deal this coronavirus
\npandemic”<\/p>\n
“Now people have been making all kinds if comments, the press and I have
\nheard some on the airwaves. They do not seem to know the full facts of
\nthe matter”<\/p>\n
“Yes, there was a regulation put in place long before now regarding the
\nlockdown we have had in Obio\/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local
\nGovernment Areas. I hear that this happened in Eleme Local Government
\nArea. Two hotels and they were warned to stop operating. Indeed, a
\ntaskforce was sent to remind them about the Executive Order put in place
\nby the Governor and they got their thugs and some local boys to beat
\nmembers of the taskforce, so the Governor left with no other option
\nwielded the big stick.”<\/p>\n
“We also heard people saying oooh, he was impounding vehicles and
\narresting people on the roads for violating the law on Obio\/Akpor and
\nPort Harcourt City Local Government Areas. What did they expect the
\nGovernor to do? Fold his hands and watch people to openly and brazenly
\nflaunt what we know are regulations put in place in accordance with law
\nand order”<\/p>\n
“So, the Governor I think was justified in wielding the big stick on the
\nhoteliers and anybody who feels that he has any reason to dispute should
\napproach the appropriate quarters and let’s us see how far that approach
\nwill get him.”<\/p>\n
The one time NBA President further consent with the two days temporary
\nlifting of the total lockdown on Obio\/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local
\nGovernment Areas, saying the move will enable the citizens to keep their
\nhouses in order and well as attend to medical issues before going back
\nto the status quo.<\/p>\n
“Most of our citizens we are appreciate are people who earn there living
\nbased on there daily activities, even those who do not, like some of us
\nalso need to go out to get supplies, we need food, medicines and some
\nneeds to see their doctors. So, some times, the lockdown has to be
\napplied with a human fave and which is why I feel some justification in
\nwhat the Governor has done by relaxing the lockdown by one or two days”<\/p>\n
He advised Rivers people to be patient with the state government in its
\neffort to contain the spread of the pandemic in the state and also
\nobserved the necessary protocols put in place by WHO and NCDC to fight
\nCOVID 19.<\/p>\n
“I advise Rivers people to please be patient with government and also
\nstrictly observe the regulations put in place not only by the government
\nand the law enforcement agencies in Rivers State, but also by the
\nNational Center for Disease Control and all other health organizations
\nincluding World Health Organization, WHO which he noted is holding the
\nknife as we say in this situation”<\/p>\n
“I hope that all of us in Rivers State will do our best to comply with
\nthese regulations because what is ultimate is to save our lives and save
\nthe life of our loved ones and other relations”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former President of the Nigeria Bar Association,\u00a0 NBA, Chief Onueze Okocha (SAN) has declared that the Executive Orders signed by Rivers State Governor,\u00a0 Nyesom Ezenwo Wike are appropriate. Okocha (SAN)…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":73352,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n