Onazena Abbey, Benin
Executive Chairman, Esan North East Local Government, Edo State, Austine Okoebholo said fear of possible out break of epidemics compelled the council to relocate traders to local markets in strict adherence with the COVID-19 guidelines for social distancing.
The state government had at the wake of the COVID-19 stay at home order, urged the entire 18 local government to relocate markets to designated schools.
Okoebholo who spoke with newsmen on update of the COVID-19 pandemic said the local government strictly adhere to state government measures at curtailing the spread of the virus in terms of sensitisation, provision of protective devices, screening centres and establishment of mobile courts to enforce compliance.
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“What we did was to ask the traders to relocate to their local markets, that helped us a lot in terms of social distance. Some of these markets have never been in use, they were built as constituency projects.”
“I did not think it was necessary for us to move them to schools considering the facts that the decision to relocate to primary schools comes with its consequences of destruction of infrastructures in the schools leaving behind dirt and wastage that could lead to epidemic which could be harvested by children when they resume.”
He said the local government through the engagement of vigilante group has equally put in check the in flow of Almajiris into the state from the northern part of the country.
The All Progressives Congress council boss attributed what he termed effective implementation of the COVID-19 guidelines to the cooperation accorded him by the people of the local government.
