Lockdown: Non-essential items traders appeal to govt. to re-open Ogbete Market

Tue, May 12, 2020
By publisher
3 MIN READ

Coronavirus Pandemic

NON-essential items traders in Ogbete Main Market, Enugu, on Tuesday appealed to the state government to re-open the market.

Some of the traders made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

According to them, they will maintain the precautionary measures needed to contain the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the market.

They said re-opening the market would enable them go back to business and have access  to their shops, adding that the government had re-opened other markets for business activities.

Mr Hilary Ugochukwu, a dealer in men’s wears, said Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, should help traders by re-opening the main market as he did the other markets in the metropolis.

“I want the governor to be fair to all traders, irrespective of where the market is located and what we sell.

“Since other markets have been directed to open from 8am to 2pm, every trader in Ogbete Main Market should also be allowed to open his or her shop for business,” he said.

Mrs Chizoba Onyia, dealer on kitchen utensils, said she was amazed that other markets were directed to open except the main market.

I am appealing to the state government to consider Ogbete Main Market traders and re-open the market for them to start their businesses again,” she said.

Mr Daniel Egwu, dealer in second hand clothings, said that since the closure of the market, traders of non-essential commodities had been facing a lot of financial challenges.

“I am appealing to Gov. Ugwuanyi to help us and re-open our market.

”I wonder why he did not re-open the main market as he directed others.

”I pray he comes to our rescue because we are really suffering,” Egwu said.

Mr Festus Onuchukwu, another trader, appealed to the market executives to dialogue with the government on the need to re-open the market.

“No matter the problem we have with the government, I believe dialogue will help in solving it, so that we can go back to our businesses again,” he said.

Miss Nkiru Igwe, a hair dresser at Ogbete Main Market, said almost all the traders had bought the tap plastic buckets for water, soap and sanitizers.

”The items were for the use of customers whenever they were directed to go back to their businesses.

“We are promising the government that every trader in the main market will obey and carry out all precautionary measures by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC),” she said.

Meanwhile, some sellers and users of stationeries including pens, exercise and text books, markers, card board sheets have decried the scarcity of such commodities following closure of Ogbete Market.

A parent, Mrs Chioma Eneh, said she could not buy pens and some text books required for assignments from her children’s e-learning.

According to her, my children ran out of biro to write their assignments from e-learning but I couldn’t get them from some provision stores in my neighborhood as they complained of its scarcity.

”I couldn’t also find some text books like ‘The Only Son’ and some workbooks for them. Bookshops are essential facilities.

” I am appealing to the state government to allow them to open at least twice a week,” she pleaded.

NAN reports that the state governor had on May 2 agreed on a phased re-opening of the Ogbete Main Market with the market executives, for only essential products with a weekly review of developments. (NAN)

– May 12, 2020 @ 11:39 GMT |

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