Ogbete Main Market traders in Enugu, Enugu State have disregarded the conditions for partial and guided reopening of the market as part of measures to curtail the spread of Coronavirus disease in the state.

The traders failed to observe social distancing protocol, a critical term of an undertaking by their leaders or the first day the marker was reopened on Monday.

The Enugu State Government in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, and obtained by The Street Reporters Newspaper, confirmed the development.

Frowning at the development, the Enugu State Government expressed dismay over what it described as “a total disregard and breach of the undertaking made by the Ogbete Main Market Traders Association and the Pharmaceuticals Dealers Association” for the partial and guided reopening of the market.

The Street Reporters Newspaper recalls that as fallout of the recent meeting the Enugu State Government held with market leaders and security agencies, it was unanimously agreed that the Ogbete Main Market, Enugu, will be partially reopened on May 4, 2020, in the overall interest of the public.

This was after leaders of the two market associations undertook that they will strictly abide by the agreed conditions and protocol issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) “which includes the observance of social/physical distancing, high level of personal hygiene and the compulsory use of face masks”.

Unfortunately, the conditions were violated Monday, the first day of the partial reopening of the market.

Reacting to the development, the state government in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, also expressed deep concern “about the implications of this breach to the overall health and safety of the citizens of Enugu in this critical period of the COVID-19 Pandemic”.

The government therefore directed the leadership of the Ogbete Main Market Traders Association and the Pharmaceutical Dealers Association , to strictly abide by the conditions for the partial and guided reopening of the market.

The statement warned that “the state government will act swiftly to protect the health and safety of the people of Enugu in the event of any further breach of the conditions for the partial and guided reopening of the Market”.