By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Leaders of the 63 major markets in Anambra State have been advised to follow the four conditions issued by the State Government in order to return to business

Governor Willie Obiano made this known to the media after a meeting with market leaders at his country home in Aguleri.

The conditions outlined by the Governor include: compulsory wearing of face masks by traders, maintenance of social distancing and placement of hand washing buckets and sanitizers at strategic points in all the markets.

He stressed that conditional re-opening of the markets was put in place to enable market leaders plan effectively and ensure that facilities for maintaining hygiene were put in place.

Obiano said: “We have made re-opening of the markets conditional so that market leaders can plan effectively and see to the installation of facilities to maintain established hygiene protocols and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the markets.

“Given the proposed conditions of re-opening, any of the 63 markets which meet government’s conditions will be opened for business on Monday, May 4, 2020.

“Besides, all state boundaries will remain closed and businesses will be transacted only within the state.

The Governor said that upon reopening, each market would constitute a special COVID-19 committee for effective sensitisation, monitoring and enforcement of government’s directives on preventing the spread of the pandemic.

He added that members of the committees will be trained by the state government.

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