Concerned Residents, Transporters Kick As RSG Lockdown Takes Its Tolls In Parts Of PH

Following further moves made by the Rivers State Governor, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike over the weekend, declaring a lockdown of certain parts of Port Harcourt over observation of non-compliance with necessary protocols put in place to stem the spread of coronavirus in the State, some persons including residents, transporters and traders have voiced their reactions as it affects their day-to-day activities. They pleaded with the state government to relax the lockdown order.

Governor Wike had over the weekend pronounced lockdown of places such as Creek Road, including Prison Junction,  Nembe Waterside, Cultural Center, Yam Zone, Ahoada Street, Diobu Axis, including Education Bus-stop, Kalabari by Udi Street, Afikpo Street, Gambia Street, entire Ikoku Spare parts zone, Abali Park (under Flyover, both descending and ascending) and the Rivers State University Roundabout. The places under lockdown are those where residents, including their markets did not observe COVID-19 protocols like social distancing.

But, in their separate reactions, some residents of affected areas in Diobu have called on Governor Wike to help bring the situation under control by removing the lockdown order which is currently affecting their livelihood. Speaking, on the Development, Baridi Solomon, a resident of Udi street stated that since the lockdown, there have been increased fear and hunger among the people. “If you go out of your street in search of food, you may be harassed by police who mounted checkpoint. Some are already being harassed for trying to pass by. I just hope the lockdown will be lifted very soon because of women and children and even the elderly who need care. As for me, I just maintain solitary life because I cannot go on like that, not to talk of opening my shop.

Also, a commercial bus driver, Stanley Okoh, stated that the lockdown had been largely affecting their business. According to him, commercial transport activities had been reduced with less to take home. “Many passengers come down at Mile 3, to find their way by trekking long distance to their destinations.

I am not happy that we now charge N150 to Mile One, because we need to drive through Agip and Eagle Island, instead of N100 that used to be the fare. Many passengers will plead with you that they don’t have money, some will fight and argue with you, but it is not our fault. The coronavirus is affecting us in many ways.

On whether he observed social distancing in his transport business, he said: “people find it difficult to pay N150 to Mile One from Rumuokoro and Rumuokwuta. How can we carry two person on a row of seat and remain in business?”

Stanley equally lamented what he described as harassment by police and task force officers. He explained that both the police and government task force, in an attempt to collect money, find fault, with the way they park on the road. He claimed that when the drivers park their vehicles, expecting to get passengers, the task force would come and attack them for parking wrongly. “Sometimes they pursue you, if they can’t get you, they damage part of your vehicle.”

In her reaction, a market trader who resides at Abakaliki in Diobu, Martha Etuk, lamented how the lockdown order affected her. She noted that government needed to come in and put order in place in some of the markets set up by people. “We know that corona is causing wahala and people are not careful enough. I was afraid at the way people gathered to buy things in our make shift markets. But government should have warned us before the lockdown. Some of my baskets of tomatoes are rotten. Now, I need to sell cheaper to anybody around me to avoid loses. I beg government to help us enjoy normal life again. I know we need to be careful”.

Meanwhile, to ensure strict compliance with the lockdown order, security agents, especially policemen army and civil defense officers shave manned strategic locations to arrest and ward off violators of government order.