Defaulters to pay N10m fine as Rivers state govt issues new guidelines for burial ceremonies

Rivers state government has released new guidelines on how burial ceremonies will henceforth be conducted in the state adding that defaulters of these new guidelines will have to pay a fine of N10 million.

The new Executive Order signed by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and released today June 8, is to help check the spread of COVID19 in the state.

According to the new order, residents of the state who wish to carry out any burial ceremony will have to apply for approval from the state governor through the Commissioner for Health. The application must come with a death certificate which must indicate whether the deceased died from COVID19 or not.

The application for approval must also come with a written undertaken from the applicant that he or she will pay a fine of N10 million if he or she flouts any of the guidelines for burial ceremonies.

According to the new order, burials in the state must hold between 9am and 12 noon and will not have more than 50 persons including family members in attendance. All attendees must maintain social distancing. No wake keeping or service of songs must be held for a deceased person.

See gazetted copies of the new order below