Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Traders in Onitsha markets in Anambra State have appealed to the leadership of Onitsha Main market and other markets in the area to provide handwashing buckets and sanitizers in the markets to protect both the traders, customers and leaders from the Coronavirus disease tormenting the world.
Some traders who spoke with Daily Sun said that markets were being left out on the preventive measures against the killer disease, saying that government should provide sanitizers and handwashing buckets at the gates of every market in the state.
A trader at Onitsha Main market Chief Okechukwu Unaegbu said that inasmuch as markets have not been shutdown yet, there was a need for provision of preventive items such mouth mask, sanitizers and hand-washing buckets at the entrance of every market.
“We should consider the safety of traders, customers and others who visit the markets. The market place is a gathering of people from all walks of life, from far and near to transact business and if not well protected from this deadly disease, it will be disastrous when it enters the market” he said.
Other traders Oluchi Mba, Timothy Odu, Nkechi Obieze, Jose Uwah, Yinka Olayide lamented that up till now, no preventive measures had been brought to the markets in the state, saying that it will not cost government or market leaders much to provide sanitizers or shutdown the markets.
“We have big markets in this state like Main Market where people from other African countries and Asia come for business, so we need to protect the traders and customers because we don’t know who is who. We have Drug market, Relief market, Ochanja market, Old and New spare parts markets, Building material, Electronics and Abada markets among others within this area where people visit daily for business.”