By OGOCHUKWU ANIOKE, Abakaliki

Piqued by non-compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols at the Margaret Umahi International Market Abakaliki, Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi, on Friday suspended the five aides managing the market.

The five Special Assistants were recently appointed to enforce compliance with COVID-19 protocols in the market.

But the Governor, who visited the market on Friday afternoon, was enraged when he noticed most of the people at the market were not putting on facemasks.

The Governor also discovered none of the aides was not on duty at the market.

Umahi had suspended two Auditors-General and the Ebonyi Coordinator of FADAMA recently.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Kenneth Ugbala, in a statement, said the Governor directed the affected aides to handover their official vehicles.

Those suspended are: Jacinta Nworie, SA in charge of lot 5 of the market; Kirian Ofoke (lot 2); Philip Eworo (lot 4); Francisca Okeke (lot 1) and Chukwuma Ofoke (lot 3).

The statement reads: “The Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, has noted with sadness, during his afternoon inspection at the Margret Umahi Int’l Market Abakaliki, that 99% of the market people do not wear nose masks and the five Special Assistants to the Governor on Markets were not seen on site.

“The Governor has therefore placed the 5 Special Assistants on market on indefinite suspension effective from Wednesday 15th of July, 2020.

“They are to hand over their official vehicles immediately to the Secretary to the State Govt. and coordinating Commissioner.

“The secretary to the state Govt. is hereby directed to post STAs and TAs back to the Margret Umahi Int’l Market Abakaliki to immediately take charge of the location while the SSG supervises them henceforth”.

Ugbala said the Governor warned he will shut down the market if the traders continue to violate NCDC protocol on COVID-19. (The Nation)