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Oyo State government, on Monday gave market leaders in the state seven days ultimatum to ensure that markets have various handwashing points or risk being closed.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Fatai Owoseni, gave the warning during a meeting with markets leaders on traders compliance with coronavirus regulations in the state.
He noted that the state government had earlier given the markets samples of the handwashing facilities, which he claimed have been vandalised. Owoseni added that it had become mandatory for the markets to multiply the samples within the next one week.
Though he noted that the state was not unaware of complaints that the facilities may have been vandalized, he said the market leaders had the mandate to secure and replicate the facilities provided.
“The markets have seven days to multiply and replicate the samples of the handwashing basins that have been designed and given to them already.
“They have to own, secure the facilities as their own and monitor their usage because the ones that government distributed have been vandalized and removed from where we put it. Markets that don’t comply will be closed,” Owoseni said.
On people flouting the dusk to dawn curfew in the state, the Security Adviser said the new directive was that anyone caught during the curfew will be asked to remain at the spot till 6am, when the curfew will end.
Speaking, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, also urged the market leaders to ensure that traders adhere to the rules of social distancing, the use of face mask and use of alcohol-based sanitisers.
Olatunbosun particularly reminded the market leaders of the state’s directive on the use of face mask in public, which he said, the state government would enforce.
Representing Adelabu market at the meeting, Mr Onaolapo Gafar, said the market leaders need government backing to enforce the coronavirus safety guidelines.
He decried the fact that area boys had hijacked and destroyed some of the handwashing facilities that were provided by the state government.