The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday, cautioned shop owners to comply with the COVID-19 guidelines or have their business premises shut down to prevent further spread of the virus.
Head, Media and Public Enlightenment of the FCT COVID-19 task force, Ikharo Attah, handed down the warning while monitoring compliance at some shopping malls and business premises across the city.
He warned that the FCTA would “not hesitate to shut down shopping malls, Maitama farmers’ market and business premises that failed to comply with the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.”
Attah noted, “From what we observed, there is high compliance by customers and visitors to these malls and business premises. Sadly, same cannot be said of the workers and operators of shops and other businesses in the malls.
“A situation in which owners of shops and their workers believed that the guidelines and health protocols are for customers and visitors is highly unacceptable. The health protocols are for all to observe.”
He further frowned on the lack of crowd control measures by the shopping malls, which he said had led to a disregard for the physical distancing guideline.
He cited the Maitama Farmers’ market for failing to observe basic health protocols, noting that most people were not wearing facemasks and there was only one washing point at the market.
Three persons were arrested at the market just as the taskforce vowed to shut down the premises if the violations persisted.
Other places visited were the Jabi Lake Mall, Novera Shoprite Mall along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport road and some business premises at Wuse and Maitama Districts.
