Social distancing to be enforced in markets – Oppong Nkrumah

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has assured that social distancing will be fully observed in various markets across lockdown areas as the Local Government Minister has been tasked to ensure that.

He said government is aware that many markets in the affected areas do not abide by the rules but that will change soon.

“The minister for local government has been asked to work with the MMDCEs in whose districts restrictions have been imposed and the security agencies to ensure that social distancing takes place in the markets as well.”

It is the Day-5 of the 2-week partial lockdown of parts of the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, and already, several market women in Accra have been reported to have thrown caution to the wind as they hustle for their daily bread.

Tudu, CMB and Agbogbloshie are some markets which have been identified to be operating as though there was nothing to be concerned about.

Traders, in some markets in the capital, are lined up as they will be on any usual market day as patrons manoeuvre their way through the market to get what they need for their homes.

Only a handful of these traders are seen with any personal protective equipment to protect themselves from possibly contracting the dreadful Coronavirus.

But speaking to the media at Friday’s press briefing to give updates on the fight against the pandemic, the information minister said the phenomenon is soon going to end.

“We acknowledge that its not being fully observed in the markets. They have been asked to ensure that some more attention has been given to it,” he said.

Ghana, as at 3:00pm Friday 3rd April 2020 had recorded 204 Coronavirus cases which included 5 deaths.