Ekiti Threatens to Shut Major Markets Indefinitely

Ekiti Threatens to Shut Major Markets Indefinitely

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti State Government yesterday threatened to shut down major markets in Ado Ekiti metropolis indefinitely if the traders fail to adhere strictly to the compulsory use of face masks and sanitizers.

The state government said it decided to reopen the Oja Oba, Shasha and Bisi Markets, all in Ado Ekiti metropolis, following rules handed down by the state government that traders must take precautions regarding personal hygiene to contain COVID-19 spread, saying there was no compromise on this order.

The Coordinator of the COVID-19 Task Force and Director-General Office of Transformation, Strategy and Delivery, Professor Bolaji Aluko, stated this in Ado Ekiti yesterday while giving update on the pandemic.

Aluko, who declared last weekend that the state government had received N631 million for supports against COVID-19, said names of individual and corporate donors have been published in line with the transparency and accountability agenda of the government.

According to him, “We have our rules and guidelines, which border on compulsory use of face masks, sanitizers and hand washing mechanism in our markets.

“But the government will not hesitate to close down these markets indefinitely with the reports that people are not complying with this directive.”

Aluko added that another round of palliatives would commence next week for the poor and vulnerable to cushion the effect of the pandemic.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, declared that 177 tests have been conducted on suspected cases since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the state.

The commissioner noted that the state was sitting up its molecular laboratory preparatory for the random testing of residents.

She added that the random testing would help in eliminating any form of community transmission of the disease, urging residents to make themselves available for the test for them to know their status.

According to her, “So far, we have conducted COVID-19 test for 177 suspected persons with 19 confirmed cases and now five active cas

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