Rivers bans sale of local gin over death of 20

RIVERS State Ministry of Health has prohibited consumption of local gin known in local parlance as Ogogoro following the death of over 20 persons in Bonny Island and Woji respectively.

The Director of Disease Control in the state, Roland Obed Whyte, said the decision to ban the consumption of the local gin was part of government’s proactive measures to forestall the death of some more persons, explaining that it had been difficulty to get samples of the particular gin that claimed the lives of the victims in Bonny and Woji.

He said the remains of some of the deceased were buried without their families allowing the conduct of autopsy to medically ascertain the real cause of their death.

Whyte, who said in Port Harcourt yesterday that some health officials are currently on an intensive enlightenment campaign in Woji on the inherent danger of consuming local gin, said preliminary findings indicate that some of symptoms noticed in the affected victims include vomiting and blindness.

Bonny Youth Leader, Mr. Simon Wilcox, had raised alarm on Wednesday that at least 17 persons lost their lives after the consumption of local gin and eating dog meat.

He said: “Seventeen persons have been confirmed dead. We are going to the hospital to attend to those who are lying critically ill. We need the help of World Health Organisation (WHO), and Federal Government agencies to assist people of Bonny kingdom.”

Meanwhile, the state Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has appointed Felix Obuah as the new Sole Administrator of Rivers State Waste Management Authority.

The governor, who paid an unscheduled visit to the office of the authority yesterday, expressed disgust with the abysmal performance of the management and directed the new sole administrator to clean up the refuse in Port Harcourt and its environs within the next 72 hours.