Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders’ Association (ASMATA) has directed market leaders in the state to comply with laid down safety precautionary measures against the dreaded coronavirus pandemic or risk total closedown of any defaulting market.
President General of ASMATA, Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu flanked by its Legal Adviser, Humphrey Udechukwu and other executives of the market leadership, in a press briefing yesterday in Onitsha disclosed that the state government initially intended to close all the markets in Anambra but changed its decision after the plea by the leadership to abide by the resolutions reached.
Ekwegbalu said all markets in Anambra must as a matter of urgency provide hand washing centres with water, soap and sanitizer placed centrally for all to use while all lines in the markets must immediately place water, soap and sanitizer at the entrance of their lines and encourage every customer to use same before entering the line.
The directive also said every shop in all the markets must provide buckets of water and soap with sanitizers and must encourage the customers to use same without fail.
“Your phone is something you use most often. Please, endeavour to cleanse it with mild sanitizer like baby wipe. None compliance to these directives will lead to the closure of the defaulting markets,” he said.
The ASMATA leadership also disclosed that all line chairmen and secretaries of various markets have been communicated officially on this new resolution while a task force has been constituted to enforce the directives.
He said the market leadership is working closely with the Anambra State Government Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic with a view to ensure that markets which remains the mainstay of the Anambra economy doesn’t get infected with the deadly virus.
While commending Governor Willie Obiano for prompt measures taken so far to checkmate the spread of the dreaded virus, he said the task force constituted in various markets will also ensure that effective crowd control mechanism are maintained inside markets in the state.
He advised traders to shun panic moves and spreading of fake stories but rather focus on maintaining safety standards at all times so as to put the virus in check in Anambra.