By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
Owing to the gradual ease of the Federal Government lockdown Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has extended the market operational days in the capital city from three to seven days as he warns that no mask no entry.
This was contained in a press release signed by the Chief Press Director to the Minister, Anthony Ogunleye and made available to Daybreak in Abuja.
The minister made this change via a virtual meeting between members of the FCT COVID-19 Response Team, senior members of the Administration and members of the Coalition of FCT Market Chairmen and Secretaries led by its Chairman Mr Raphael Okorie.
He said, “As part of measures to decongest the markets in the FCT and further check the spread of COVID-19, market operations have been extended from three days a week to all 7 days in the week from 7:00am to 6:00pm effective from Thursday, 30th July 2020.
Other guidelines to access to the markets and operations within the markets will only be permitted with the wearing of facial coverings and adherence to all extant health and safety guidelines inclusive of hand washing and maintenance of physical distancing, the minister said.
FCT administration further said that in between the extended market operations, the Abuja Market Management Limited and various market associations will continue to carry out sensitization activities to enlighten market users on COVID-19 and the necessity of obeying all extant health and safety protocols.
However, failure by the Coalition of FCT Market Chairmen and Secretaries to fully implement these guidelines, the FCTA will be compelled to withdraw this extension, the minister warned.
