COUPLES whose wedding ceremony violates the COVID-19 wedding guidelines put in place by Rivers State Government to stop the spread of the disease will pay a fine of N10 million, the State Government said.

Paulinus Nsirim, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, who disclosed this said the guidelines were approved by the State Executive Council during a meeting under the leadership of Nyesom Wike, Governor of the state.

Nsirim stated that intending couples are to  apply to the state governor through the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation.

According to him,  couples must include information on the venue of the ceremony, names, addresses and phones numbers of intending attendees, warning that any application missing the required details would not be granted approval.

He further explained that each ceremony must have a maximum of 50 attendees  while the venue of the ceremony must have provisions for running water and soap in three areas, adding that the venue must decontaminated after the event.

“Soap and running water has to be kept at the entrance to the venue in not less than three places while all attendees are to wear face masks and maintain social distancing of not less than two meters,” he said.

The Commissioner  stressed that church weddings must be conducted between 9 am and 12 pm, while traditional weddings would be conducted between 4 pm and 7 pm.

Nsirim said wedding receptions were prohibited under the guidelines, citing the need to prevent the risk of community transmission.

He further highlighted that residents that failed to follow the guidelines would be subject to a fine of N10 million.

“A representative of the Ministry would be present to observe the event. A fine of N10,000,000 is to be paid by anyone that puts people at risk by breaking this regulation,” the Commissioner said.

The Rivers State government has carried out strict measures in limiting the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

It would be recalled that the governor, Wike, in May, ordered and supervised the demolition of two hotels for flouting the COVID-19 preventive directive in the state.