Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State, on Saturday, said he may shut down markets in the State in order to ensure that the deadly Coronavirus does not spread to the State.
Umahi also expressed his dissatisfaction over traders’ non-compliance with the preventive measures recently enacted by the State government.
The governor made his feelings known during a live Easter Broadcast on Saturday – explaining that he paid a surprise visit to St. Margaret Umahi’s International Market on Friday with one of the state government’s newly acquired electric-powered tricycles and was disappointed to see that the traders are not observing the preventive precautions, no social distancing, no face mask, etc.
To this end, the governor noted that the state government may consider closing down all the markets until further notice if the set down preventive precautionary measures is not obeyed.
The Governor however, gave a grace period of between today, 11th April and Monday 13th April 2020 for the traders to change or stand a total shut down of all markets in the state. A situation where only foodstuffs can be sold at the Pa Ngele Oruta Stadium and the 13 L.G.As headquarters so that they will be properly monitored for strict compliance.
He equally noted that the lives of Ebonyians are worth more than anything else.
