By Rotimi Ojomoyela Ado-Ekiti — The Ekiti State government, on Tuesday, ordered the closure of all the major markets, in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital and Ikere Ekiti, the next largest town. The Government disclosed that the measure became necessary in order to contain and curtail the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the state and the need to fully enforce the social distancing order in such places. Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/04/covid-19-ekiti-government-orders-closure-of-major-markets/

It was gathered that throughout the period of the ongoing lockdown, the markets would not be allowed to operate. Special Advisers to the state Governor on Public Affairs and Media, Chief Nyi Ojo, and Mrs Mary Osho-Omotosho, respectively, said in Ado Ekiti, at a media enlightenment forum, that the new order would take full effect, on Thursday, when government was expected to relax current curfew, and allow residents to move about between 6:00am-2:00pm. According to Ojo, the failure of some traders and residents in the state to comply with the various precautionary measures, so far put in place by government to check the spread of the pandemic, was also considered Ojo, who gave names of the markets to be affected in Ado Ekiti, to include the popular Oja Oba, (Kings Market), Bisi Market and Shasha market, asked residents wishing to restock their homes with food items, to limit their purchases to their immediate neighborhood until further notice.

According to him, the recent confirmed case of another COVID-19 case, who had over 70 contacts, had put the state on high risk, considering the numbers of places and people she had contact with. In her own contribution, Mrs Omotosho, appealed to the traders to adhere with the stay at home order and stop trading in markets places to avoid sanction by government. She urged members of the public to bear with the government, explaining that the state government was aware of the inconveniences and hardship the lockdown had caused them but said every step taken was in their best interest.