Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday read the Riot Act to those operating illegal refineries in Rivers State.
He believes they are responsible for the black soot menace in the state.
In his New Year message, he directed council chairmen to go after all the illegal crude oil refining sites and shut them down with immediate effect.
He ordered the chairmen and community leaders to locate, identify and report to his office all persons behind illegal bunkering and crude oil refining sites in their localities for prosecution.
Wike said the directive stemmed from failure of the Federal government and its security agencies to stop act.
He said: “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 his government had 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 would continue to do its best to meet the aspirations of citizens for a more peaceful, safe and secure society throughout the Year 2022.
He said: “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 reminded all government recognized traditional rulers that they were at all times, subject to the authority and directives of the state government and not to other allegiances, culture or otherwise.
He said: “Therefore, the consistent absence of some first class traditional rulers, especially the Amayanabo of Okrika, the Amayanabo of Ogu, the Amayanabo of Kalabari and the Gbenemene Nyo-Khana from participating in state functions is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated.
“Should they, therefore, continue to absent themselves from state functions or in the regular meetings and activities of the State Traditional Rulers Council, we would have no option than to direct their immediate replacement.”
The governor commended the security agencies for working round the clock to make and keep the atate peaceful, safe and secure throughout 2021.
He said the government would from the second week of January 2022 commence demolition of all shanties and makeshift structures in identified crime hotspots in Port Harcourt, particularly the Illabuchi areas of Diobu to sustain the peace in the state.
He warned that all those attempting to resume illegal trading activities at the closed Oginigba slaughter had one week to vacate or be arrested and charged to court.
Wike said that government would 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 inhabited by criminal elements.
The governor said government would 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.
He said the proposed action was part of measures to check perennial flooding challenges in parts of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor councils, adding that only those with genuine government permits and papers would be duly compensated.
Wike announced the immediate ban on activities of cart pushers, who had become notorious for indiscriminate scavenging of manhole covers and directed law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone violating the 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; pasting of posters, fliers, pictures, artworks, placards or inscriptions on or under flyovers, bridges, concrete walls and the safety barricades along the roads.
He said that government would 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 remove any trailer and articulated vehicle packed on the streets beyond 48 hours in their respective administrative jurisdictions.
Concerned about the operations and socially harmful activities of nightclubs within residential areas of the state, the governor placed an immediate ban on all nightclub activities, including night-time trading and street prostitution along Abacha road and surrounding streets in Port Harcourt.
“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,” he said.
The governor sympathised with the victims of the recent fire incidences in the state, especially those who lost loved ones and valuable property.
He said government would continue to strengthen the State Fire Service and urged members of the public also take responsibility to prevent fire outbreaks.
Wike expressed concern 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.
