Nnewi traders jittery over Obiano’s closure threat

There is palpable anxiety in Nnewi market, Anambra state following threat by Governor Willie Obiano to shut down the market over breach of protocol on COVID-19.

Traders in the market have appealed to the Governor not to close the market again, saying they were yet to recover from the untold hardship they experienced during the recent lockdown.

Chairman of Agboedo Edo Motor Spare Parts Association, Nkwo Nnewi, Mr Dennis Ikegwuonu weekend, absolved traders of breaching the State Government’s protocol on Covid-19 given as condition to continue trading after lockdown was lifted in the State.

He said: “We wear our face masks and have strategic points where people both customers and the entire traders wash their hands with sanitizers as we try as much as we can to maintain social distancing.

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“Our taskforce members are very strict at the entry points not to allow people without facemasks into our market no matter who is involved.

“Some people are stiff-necked and that is why they sometimes try to circumvent the order. We will handle that.

“We have warned those who just drop their facemasks at their jaws instead of covering  their noses and mouths to desist from doing so otherwise we will treat them as those who wear no facemasks at all.

“We appeal to Governor Obiano not to close our market again because the previous lockdown sometime ago subjected us to untold hardship and we would not like a repeat of that ugly experience anymore.”