Coronavirus: Birem North DCE relocates traders on market days

As part of measures to avoid the spread of the coronavirus in the country, DCE for Birem North in the Eastern region, Raymond Nana Damptey has relocated traders at Abirem Market to a nearby park.

His decision follows the increase in the number of cases recorded in the Region which is among the top three Covid-19 infected areas in the country.

According to him, the number of people who troop to the Abirem market on Fridays (Market days) is unprecedented and for that matter the need to put things in place to control the situation.

“In consultation with the Chiefs, Health Officials, Security and all stakeholders in the District, we concluded that, traders must be relocated on Market Days to avoid the spread,” he told Agoo FM’s Obaahemaa Yaa Mirekua Friday.

He added that proper arrangement has been made on the Afosu/Abirem School Park where traders and buyers are comfortable without any difficulties.

He revealed the main market will soon be renovated to host over four hundred (400) traders in the next three weeks.

He urged residents to avoid politics in times like this since the Assembly and the government, in general, is committed to ensuring the safety of the citizen is protected.

On his part, DCE for Kwahu East Isaac Agyapong said measures have been put in place to avoid the spread in the District.



In addition, the Kwahu West Municipality in a statement signed by the MCE Yaw Owusu Addo said “Following a fact finding visit by the Public Health Emergency Committee (PHEC) of the Kwahu West Municipal Assembly on 21st April 2020 to the central Market to monitor compliance to the Social Distancing directive being implemented in all markets and public spaces in the country, it has come to light that owners of shops on the outside of the Nkawkaw Central Market building have blatantly refused to comply with the directive by the Kwahu West Public Health Emergency Committee to eject petty traders they are accommodating at the spaces infront of their shops”.

Below are details of decisions taken by the Assembly

At an emergency meeting by the Public Health Emergency Committee after the fact-finding visit, the following decisions have been taken as part of efforts to enforce strict compliance of the social distancing protocols announced by the President to prevent an outbreak of the COVID-19 disease in the Kwahu West Municipality. Consequently:

1. All shops on the outside of the Nkawkaw Central Market building are to be closed down from 6:am Thursday, April 23, 2020 until further notice.

2. Any deviant shop owner who act contrary to the directive given, does so at his or her own risk.

3. All petty traders who hitherto were selling infront of the shops outside of the Central Market building and who own selling spaces inside the central market are to move back to their allotted spaces in the market or forfeit them.

4. All others who do not have spaces in the main market are to report to the Kwahu West Municipal Assembly to be allotted space at the Central Market Annex.

For the avoidance of doubt, this directive does not apply to the Kwahu Rural Bank or any other Financial Institution operating at the Central market, Kenkey, rice and other cooked food sellers who have their Independent spaces for selling outside the Central Market.

Agoo news checks indicate all the affected shops have been closed since yesterday 23rd April 2020.