Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State moves to re-open the 63 major markets in state for business in a week’s time.

This development follows an agreement reached on Monday between the Government of Anambra State and the leaders of all the 63 markets in the state.

Governor Obiano met with market leaders at his country home in Aguleri.

Governor Obiano however explained that the re-opening of the markets will be conditional.

“We have made re-opening of the markets conditional so that market leaders can plan effectively and see to the installation of facilities to maintain established hygiene protocols and prevent the spread of covid-19 in the markets”, Obiano said.

He said that each market would constitute a special Covid-19 Committee for effective sensitization, monitoring and enforcement of government’s directives on preventing the spread of the coronavirus, adding that members of the committees will be trained by the government.

Governor Obiano also reiterated that the wearing of face masks remains compulsory and a condition to be met by all markets before reopening.

According to him, hand washing buckets and sanitizers must be made available at strategic points in all the major markets in the state, including Main market, Onitsha – the largest commodity market in west Africa.

Note that the market was also closed to business for close to four weeks now in order to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.

Given the proposed conditional re-opening, any of the 63 markets which meets government’s conditions will be opened for business on Monday, May 6, 2020.

However, all state boundaries will remain closed and businesses will be transacted only within the state.