ABOUT 24 hours after the Lagos State government shut down markets in the state, Kayode Fayemi, the Ekiti State governor on Wednesday directed all markets in his state to suspend normal activities.
Those exempted are traders involved in essential goods such as food stuffs, water, medicine and pharmaceutical equipments.
The directive would take effect from Thursday, March 26 at about 5:00pm.
Fayemi described the decision as vital to prevent further spread of the disease and to ensure citizens of the state observe social distancing, among other precautionary measure.
He also encouraged staple food sellers to avoid price inflation of their commodities and produce. Pharmacies were also urged not to hike the prices of essential drugs.
“All medicine stores that are open to the public to make sure they do not sell or display any other items whatsoever, while those selling foodstuffs should not display or sell anything outside foodstuffs,” Fayemi stated in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, in Ado-Ekiti, on Wednesday.
The governor appealed to commercial drivers and the leadership of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in the state to reduce the outrageous fares being charged commuters, mainly students who have been returning home in large numbers, since the closure of schools in the state.
Meanwhile, he tasked the public to adhere to the ban on public gatherings that are above 20 persons either for social, communal or religious purposes, adding that a monitoring and enforcement task force had been dispatched across the state.
Citizens in the state were also urged to support the government and its agencies in the collective war against the coronavirus.
So far, 46 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Nigeria, out of which one person died, two were discharged and with 43 active cases.
From the active cases, one was confirmed in Ekiti State.
Olugbenga heads the Investigations Desk at The ICIR. Do you have a scoop? Shoot him an email at oadanikin@icirnigeria.org. Twitter Handle: @OluAdanikin