Panic buying in Rivers as govt shuts markets 

Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt 

Thousands of residents on Friday rushed to all markets in Rivers State especially the ones located in Port Harcourt, the state capital, to stockpile food items following the stringent measures being enforced by the state government against the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The discovery of an index case in Rivers mandated Governor Nyesom Wike to issue fresh measures including an express order that all markets should be shut down from Saturday (today).

Investigations revealed that residents struggling to beat the deadline for the closure of markets engaged in panic buying of essential items including food.

All the markets witnessed heavy traffic as residents elbowed one another to buy rice, beans, garri and other food items that could sustain them throughout the period of the ban.

Traders had a field day as they jacked up the prices of foodstuffs making it difficult for many consumers to buy them.

Most items were expensive but some moneybags, who could afford them cleared them all not minding their prices.

Lime, lemon, ginger and garlic believed to be  potent natural preventive items against the Coronavirus pandemic were so expensive that most people could not afford them.

Two small pieces of lime were sold for N500  while the big lemon was sold for N500 each as prices of fish, meat, rice and beans doubled.

Further findings showed that most supermarkets had a busy day and later ran out of stock following heavy purchasing power of residents.

A residents who identified himself simply as Abel, described the situation as alarming adding that he could not buy common items as they were scarce and those available were very expensive.

He said: “I looked for yam everywhere but could not find any to buy. Tubers of yam used to be  commonly pushed on wheelbarrows by sellers to the doorsteps of buyers. But I could not find the sellers.

“When I eventually saw some, they were very expensive. I could not buy them. What baffled me was the price of lime and lemon. We are the enemies of ourselves in this country. How can people be selling two pieces of lime for N500.  Prior to this period, it was sold N100 for 10 pieces”.

Another resident, Ola, who went to the Rumumansi market said he left there without buying anything.

He complained of the crowd and the amount of food items saying there was a need to review some of the directives.

He said: “I went to Rumumansi market but left there without buying anything. I couldn’t bear the crowd and the high price of the items.”

Wike confirmed the index positive case of coronavirus in the state and directed all markets to close from March 28.

The governor said the government had begun contact tracing of all those the index case came in contact with.

The governor also directed that all civil servants from Grade Level 1 – 10 were to remain at home from Friday, March 27 until further notice.

In a Broadcast on Thursday evening,  Wike said: “It is however, unfortunate that despite all the preventive measures we put in place, our State has recorded a positive case as confirmed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

“May I, therefore urge you all to remain calm because there is no cause for alarm. The State Government is fully prepared to ensure that the incident is contained to avoid further spread.

“All Civil Servants from Grade Levels 1 – 10 are to remain at home from Friday, March 27 until further notice.

“All markets in the State no matter how small are to remain closed with effect from Saturday, March 28, 2020.

“All Local Government Chairmen are to head Task Forces in their various Local Government Areas that will ensure that markets remain closed. Council Chairmen are empowered to confiscate the goods of defaulters.

“All Commissioners and Special Advisers are to monitor the compliance of the above directives in their various Local Government Areas.

“Security Agencies have also been directed to enforce all the decisions taken by the Security Council.”

Wike pleaded with Rivers people to continue to cooperate with the State Government for the containment of coronavirus.