Fred Itua, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Bello, has approved new guidelines for the operation of markets in the six Area Councils of the Territory.
This, he said, was part of measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the nation’s capital which ranks second after Lagos State on confirmed cases of the virus.
According to a revised statement issued on Tuesday morning by the FCT Administration, markets will now operate only three times weekly- Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The statement reads: “In line with the new guidelines on the operations of markets issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has directed the Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML) to ensure compliance with the new template.
“The new guideline states that only shops and stalls selling food and groceries shall be allowed to open to customers between 10:00am and 2:00pm on alternate days or less frequently.
“After a meeting on Monday, April 6 between officials of the FCT Administration and relevant security agencies, it was agreed that the new arrangement will be fully implemented in the FCT.
“Accordingly, Markets in Abuja will now operate only three times weekly; that is on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 10.00 am to 2:00pm.”