The Rivers State Executive Council led by Governor Nyesom Wike has approved new guidelines for ceremonies during the coronavirus pandemic period in the state.
Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, told journalists on Wednesday at Government House, Port Harcourt that prospective couples would be required to apply to Mr Wike 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,” he said.
“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.”
The commissioner said wedding receptions are prohibited under the guidelines to reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID-19.
Violators of the guidelines, he said, will be required to pay a fine of N10 million.
For funerals, Nsirim said organisers would have to include names, addresses and phone numbers of those to attend in their applications.
