In order to ensure that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) does not witness an escalation in the number of COVID-19 positive cases and to prevent a public health emergency, the FCT Administration has reduced market operational days to two days in a week namely; Wednesdays and Saturdays only.
This is coming on the heels of the observation by the FCT COVID-19 Security Committee chaired by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, that over the past few days, adherence to the lockdown directives at the City Center has deteriorated.
In a statement on Wednesday, FCTA Chief Press Secretary, Anthony Ogunleye noted that residents have used the excuse of going to the markets to flout the lockdown directives and traders selling non-essential food commodities have also used the window to open their shops in clear violation of the directives not to do so.
He further stated that the directives that residents should patronize neighborhood shops and markets within their districts and not move from one district to the other to buy their essential items in order to minimize movement of people and vehicles across the city, has largely been flouted as well.
Ogunleye urged residents to patronize only neighborhood markets as movement from one district to the other now constitutes a violation of the lockdown.
According to him, “Mobile courts will now be activated to try all violators of the directive on the cessation of movement across the FCT.
“Motorcycles (Okada) are henceforth barred from operating anywhere in Kubwa and Dutse Alhaji during the lockdown”.
He further added that the FCTA will step up sensitization efforts especially in the rural communities and enjoined Area Council Chairmen, traditional rulers and community leaders to actively engage in sensitizing the populace on the dangers of COVID-19.
“The FCT Administration remains deeply committed to ensuring that the COVID-19 pandemic remains controlled in the FCT and seeks the cooperation of all residents in curtailing its spread especially into our rural and suburban communities”, he added.
