Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
There was jubilation at Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of Anambra state following the re-opening of major markets shutdown five weeks ago to curtail the spread of Coronavirus pandemics in the state.
Governor Willie Obiano had last Friday directed that Onitsha Main Market and other 62 markets in the state to be re-opened for businesses on Monday April 4, 2020.
He urged the traders and market leaders to adhere strictly on preventive measures and comply with the standard protocols of Covid-19.
The governor after meeting with market leaders in the state last week on the best way to re-open the markets, mandated and organized training for the Taskforce team in every market on handling of Coronavirus issues and the best way to prevent it.
He said that each market must have a COVID-19 team that would have the responsibility of enforcing COVID-19 preventive measures and guidelines which includes compulsory wearing of face masks, provision of running water, hand sanitizers, social distancing, among others.
Our Correspondent who monitored the re-opening of the markets observed that traders at Onitsha Main Market, Ochanja, Ose, Ogbogwu, Electronics, Abada, Building Materials, Bridgehead markets, among others were as early as 7am rushed to their shops to start their businesses.
The situation of early rush to the markets caused serious gridlock long major roads and streets of Onitsha as vehicles were standstill for hours before it was controlled by police and state traffic officers.
Some of traders who spoke to Daily Sun expressed happiness that they have finally resumed business after many weeks of stay at home occasioned by Coronavirus, stressing that hunger had dealt hard on traders who wholly depended on their daily income.
The leader of COVID-19 Taskforce team in Onitsha Main Market Mr. Victor Ajuzieogu expressed happiness over the compliance of traders and customers of the preventive measures and other COVID-19 standard protocols at the market.
“We stationed our Taskforce men at every entrance of the market. We make sure that every trader or customer that will enter the market must wash his or she hand, make use of sanitizer and put on face mask before we allowed the person into the market” he said.
The President of Onitsha Bridgehead market Mr. Sunday Obinze said that he was moving around to checkmate the compliance of the directive of the preventive measure by the traders as directed by governor Obiano.
“We are happy that business has resumed again and we are ready to adhere strictly on the measures to protect ourselves and our customers from the deadly disease. It is not easy to remain at home for weeks spending the little we had. We thank the governor for the opportunity and we promised that we shall not violate the directive” Obinze assured.