Gov. Wike bans street prostitution, nightclub activities in Rivers, sets up taskforce for enforcement

Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike has banned operations of nightclubs and prostitution in the state.

Governor Wike who gave the order in his New Year broadcast in Port Harcourt, Saturday, January 1, banned nightclub activities including nighttime trading and street prostitution.

According to Wike, the move will stop the harmful effects of these depraved activities on the moral development of the children and society at large.’

Governor Wike said the ban was informed by his concern about the operations and socially harmful activities of nightclubs within residential areas of the state, including night-time trading and street prostitution along Abacha road and surrounding streets in Port Harcourt to stop the harmful effect of these depraved activities on the moral development of children and society at large.

“No responsible government should continue to tolerate the open display and solicitation of sexual services, drug abuse and public intoxication that takes place along the streets and public areas abutting some of these nightclubs, lounges and bars by the youths, some, as young as under 14 years.”

However, it remains unclear how long the ban will last, considering the governor has less than two years left in office.

Wike further directed security agencies in the state to arrest and prosecute anyone attempting to violate the ban, adding that a task force would be set up to this effect.

Also in his New Year Day speech, Wike announced that to check the environmental menace occasioned by black soot in parts of Rivers State, he has directed the Chairmen of councils, particularly Port Harcourt to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites and shut them down with immediate effect.

He has also directed all council Chairmen and community leaders to locate, identify and report to his office all those behind all illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities for prosecution.

Wike, in his 2022 New Year message said the directive stems from failure of the Federal government and its security agencies to rein in those behind illegal oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners in the State.

“As a State Government, we have drawn the attention of the Federal Government to this problem and requested for its intervention to stop the activities of illegal bunkering and artisanal crude oil refiners, which have been identified as the main sources of the soot pandemic.

“Unfortunately, the Federal Government has remained inexplicably silent over our request and even complicit to a large extent with the security agencies actively aiding, encouraging and protecting the artisanal refiners to continue with their harmful activities unabated.”

The governor said the State government has equally appealed without success to persons engaging in this illegal business to consider its negative effects on the economy, environment, public safety and public health and disengage from it.

Wike assured that his administration will continue to do its best to meet the aspirations of  citizens for a more peaceful, safe and secure society throughout the Year 2022.

“We will continue to pursue our objectives for a stronger and more sustainable economy centred on fiscal discipline, revenue growth, job creation, and improved standard of living for all residents.

“We will continue to accelerate our development with the sustainable delivery of quality roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and other socio-economic infrastructure and complete all ongoing development projects across the State.”

The governor commended the security agencies for working round the clock to make and keep the State peaceful, safe and secure throughout 2021. And to make the State safer, he said government will from the second week of January 2022 commencedemolition of all shanties and makeshift structures in identified crime hotspots in Port Harcourt, particularly the Illabuchi areas of Diobu.

He warned that all those attempting to resume illegal trading activities at the closed Oginigba slaughter have one week to vacate or be arrested and charged to court.

Governor Wike stated that government will take over most vacant plots or uncompleted buildings in the Old and New Government Reservation Areas (GRA) and some other parts of Port Harcourt city and Obio/Akpor councils  that have been hijacked and inhabited by criminal elements.

The governor said government shall recover and restore all landfilled or reclaimed wetlands and demolish all structures erected on natural water channels spanning from the Eastern bypass areas up to Abana and Eleme streets in Old GRA as part of measures to check perennial flooding challenge in parts of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor councils. Adding that only those with genuine government permits and allocation papers will be duly compensated.

On wastage management, Wike announced the immediate ban on activities of cart pushers who have become notorious for indiscriminate scavenging of manhole covers and directed law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone who attempts to violate this ban. 

He further banned the disposal of refuse on the streets or open spaces in both the Old and New GRAs of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor councils; posting of posters, fliers, pictures, artworks, placards or inscriptions on or under on flyovers, bridges, concrete walls and the safety barricades along the roads. The governor informed that the state government will establish environmental marshals to enforce compliance with State sanitation laws.

The governor directed the Chairmen of Port Harcourt, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, and Oyigbo councils to within three weeks from 1st January, impound and or remove any trailer and articulated vehicle packed on the streets beyond 48 hours in their respective administrative jurisdictions.

The governor expressed sympathy to the victims of the recent fire incidences in the State, especially those who lost loved ones and valuable property. He said government will continue to strengthen the State Fire Service and urged members of the public also take responsibility to prevent or avoid some of these fire incidents from happening.

Governor Wike expressed concerned over the poor compliance with the existing Covid-19 protocols by citizens and the effect on the transmission of the disease in the State. He enjoined all residents to make themselves available for testing and vaccination whether it is for your first, second or booster jab.