Burial: COVID 19 protocol violators to pay N100m fine – Rivers govt

The Rivers state Government has placed N100m fine for violators of COVID-19 burials protocols in the state.

According to the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Princewill Chike, on Saturday, the monetary sanction followed the state’s executive council decision.

Chike added that Local Government Council Chairmen across the state had been directed to ensure that burial protocols were strictly adhered to in their respective domains.

He said, “Public burials in the state remain as outlined by the gazette of the state stipulating that no more than 50 persons should be allowed in burials in Rivers State.

“We also agreed that Local Government Chairmen should also assist the burial committees to ensure that this planned directive of the Rivers State Executive Council is carried to the letter. Every defaulter to these regulations would be made to pay a fine of N100m.”

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had earlier in June 2020 issued an executive order prescribing a N10m fine for anyone conducting a burial contrary to the provisions of the order.

A move intended to check the spread of the coronavirus in the state.

The gazetted order, RVSG –122020 stipulates that any person intending to hold a public burial in the state or take any corpse outside the state for burial must apply to the Governor for approval through the state Commissioner for Health.

The order, which took effect from June 5 2020, also stipulates that any application for burial of any person that died from February 1, 2020 must be accompanied by a death certificate showing whether or not the death was related to COVID-19.