By Abolaji Adebayo
As a way of ensuring compliance with the social distancing order in markets, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) has advised market sellers to ensure strict compliance with the order, warning that defaulters of the directives would be appropriately sanctioned by the State Government.
The Corps Marshal Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), CP Gbemisola Akinpelu (retd) who dropped the warning on Monday at the Command Headquarters, Bolade Oshodi, explained that the measure was necessary in order to break the cycle of transmission of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
According to her, over crowded areas such as our market places will help to increase the spread of this pandemic if social distancing is not adhered to and this will pose great danger to the effort of the State Government at combating the spread of the virus, stressing that the Commissioner, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has directed the immediate shutdown of such market.
The Corps Marshal further explained that in light of this, the Agency will continue to intensify its search light on all the market places in the State to ensure that these directives is strictly adhered to through aggressive advocacy campaign and sensitization on total compliance to the order.
She stated that similar campaigns were carried out at the Mile 12 food market in Kosofe Local Government Area of the State and will also be extended to other major market in the State.
Akinpelu admonished the marketers on the need to maintaining environmental cleanliness around the markets and stop trading on road set backs and drainage.
She advocated personal hygiene among members and other market users by engaging in regular hand washing with soap and water as well as regular use of hand sanitisers, nose mask
She reiterated the need to always consult the nearest hospital or testing centres for any ailment to ensure that the spread of the virus is curtailed as our markets harbour influx of people. While people who do not have any business around the market, loitering, to stay at home to reduce the numbers of people within the markets arenas.
