COVID-19: Wike Orders Workers On GL 1 To 13 In Rivers State To Work From Home Till Further Notice

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has directed civil servants in the state on Grade Levels 1 to 13 to work from home until further notice.

The Governor in a statement on Tuesday by Head of Service in the state, Rufus Godwin noted that this is due to the upsurge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state.

Only those on essential services are exempted from the directive, Naija News reports.

He, therefore, directed workers on Grade Levels 14 and above to take charge of activities in the various offices while the permanent secretaries are to ensure compliance with the directive.

“Following the current increase in the number of COVID 19 cases, in the second wave of the pandemic, his Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has directed all civil servants on salary scale 01-13 except those on essential duty to stay away from duty forthwith,” the statement noted in part.

“While officers from Grade levels 14 and above, should be on duty and assume full responsibilities for their offices till further notice.

“Accordingly, all Permanent Secretaries and Heads of extra ministerial offices should ensure compliance with this directive and observe strictly all COVID19 protocols.

“This directive which takes effect from Wednesday 20th January 2021 shall remain in force until his excellency directs otherwise, please,” Godwin added.

In another news, an Edo State Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Kassim Afegbua, has rejected calls by former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, for the establishment of a new political party.

Okorocha had called for the establishment of a new political movement ahead of the 2023 general elections to address the silent agitations and complaints across the country against the bad state of the country.

The lawmaker said he and other progressive-minded politicians are working to restore public confidence in governance and save the country from total collapse.

The lawmaker noted that Nigerians are not satisfied with the current state of Nigeria, saying that the country needs political re-engineering.

But reacting in an interview with The Punch, Afegbua, a former Special Adviser and Information Commission in Edo, stated that what Nigeria needs at the moment was a few political parties with men and women with vibrant ideas.