Onitsha Bridge head market operators applaud government over fumigation

By Apex News Exclusive On Apr 12, 2020

By Sunny A. David

Anambra State Government has also carried out a fumigation of Onitsha Bridge head Market.

The fumigation is part of the plan aimed at combating spread Coronavirus by ensuring coverage of all 63 markets in the state.

President-General of the Market, Mr Sunday Arinze while commending Governor Willie Obiano for his effort at curbing spread of the disease noted that the traders were happy at the exercise, pledging their support in achieving the aim.

“Before the stay-at-home order, we sensitised the traders on the need to keep to the directives of regular washing of hands under running water, maintaining of social distancing and also ensuring that each line of the market provide their buckets fitted with taps, hand sanitisers and generally keeping to the rules.”

Assistant Secretary-General of the market, Mr. Mike Umezulike praised the stay at home order, which he said was for good, while praying that the markets be re-opened at the end of the two weeks.

Secretary, Caretaker Committee of drug section of the market, known as ‘Ogbogwu’, Mr. Norbert Okoli hailed the exercise, noting that the government had helped to safeguard lives.

“Exempting Ogbogwu from market closure has helped to ensure uninterrupted access to medications by medical practitioners and the general public,” Mr. Okoli said.

“Even though we were exempted, but we encounter difficulties in accessing the markets, especially by those residing in Asaba, we pass through hell in the hands of the security agencies before being allowed to cross into Onitsha,” he lamented.

Leader of the COVID-19 fumigation exercise, Mr. Chibueze Onwuegbusi in an interview with our correspondent shortly after the exercise said that the benefits of the fumigation include curbing of Coronavirus and Lassa fever.

“We are using this stay at home period to fumigate all markets, so that when traders return for their businesses, the fumigation would have eliminated rats, germs, pests and other carriers of communicable diseases.

“By next week, market close may be over, we have fumigated many markets and are working hard to see that all the markets are done; the traders are always around because we informed them via telephones before coming.

“At Ogbogwu, they all closed their shops for us to fumigate and after that they all went back and reopened their shops.

“They are happy and praising the work of the governor. The chemical we used is World Health Organisation (WHO) standard. It is not harmful to humans but deadly to rats, virus, insects and germs.

“I urge people as we have abided by the instructions of regular washing of hands and let us continue with it, even after the containment of the diseases,” Onwuegbusi stressed.