25th June, 2020
By Taiwo Okanlawon
The Rivers State Executive Council has approved new guidelines for marriages during the Covid-19 period in the State.
State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim announced the Council’s decision while briefing newsmen at Government House Port Harcourt.
Paulinus said prospective couples would be required to apply to the State Governor through the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation.
“Such applications must be accompanied with information on the venue of the ceremony, names, addresses and phone numbers of attendees to make contact tracing easy if the need arises.
“Marriages would not have more than 50 attendees, including family members who must wear face masks and adhere strictly to social distancing of not less than two meters.
“While church weddings must be conducted between 9am and 12noon, traditional marriages would be conducted between 4pm and 7pm.
“Venues of marriages must have provisions for running water and soap at three points and the venue decontaminated after the event,” he said.
Pastor Nsirim said after wedding receptions are prohibited under the guidelines to reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID-19.
He added that violators of the guidelines would be made to pay a fine of 10 million Naira.
He also said those seeking to bury their loved ones would also be expected to include names, addresses and phone numbers of those to attend such funerals in their applications.
Pastor Nsirim said the government would not grant approval to any application without names, addresses and phone numbers.
The Rivers State Executive Council meeting was presided over by Governor Nyesom Wike.