Temitope Ojora, Information Officer, Amuwo-odofin Local Government Area, has said that the council would continue to sensitise the public as well as market traders in the area to instil the need for traders to abide by the various precautionary measures of COVID-19.

Measures such as wearing of nose masks, regular hand washing, physical distancing and high levels of personal and respiratory hygiene.

She disclosed this during the week in an interview with Kristina Reports.

Ojora noted that in August when the council was receiving disturbing figures of cases of infection of COVID-19, they were left with no options than to close the markets for a while before reopening them.

She hinted that the council will not rest on its hoarse but would continue to enlighten traders and community members on how to best prevent themselves from contracting the virus.

“There was a period when the market was locked up to contain the spread of the virus and later it was reopened.

“The chairman has on several occasions visited the market and sensitised traders on what they need to do to fight against the pandemic and now that the state has ordered that markets should fully reopen we will not stop in sensitising the traders,” she said.

When Kristina Reports visited other markets in and outside the local government, the narrative was not far fetched.

Traders in markets such as the popular Trade Fare market along Lagos-Badagry road, Ijegun market in Ijegun Satellite Town, Alaba International Market at Ojo Local Government Area, the roadside market in front of the burnt Orile Police Station, a suburb in Surulere Local Government Area, Computer Village at Ikeja, Balogun market at Lagos Island, among others, it was observed that traders there were not complying with the COVID-19 measures.

A meat seller at Ijegun market, who pleaded to be anonymous, told Kristina Reports that the virus cannot get into his body because he doesn’t believe it is real despite the alarming rate of infections on people.

Although, he noted that whenever he gets home the first thing he does is wash his hands and have his bath.

“I don’t believe that coronavirus is real so I can’t contract it, but every night when I get home, I will wash my hands and take my bath before I eat,” he said.

Emeka, a hair extension and cosmetics trader at Trade Fare market said that he is very much aware of the virus and how it has killed many Nigerians but he does not feel comfortable with his nose mask on.

“Yes, the virus is real. There was a time I do wear nose mask and after sometimes, I stopped using it because I feel uncomfortable with breathing putting it on. So since then I stopped,” he said.

Also, a trader who owns a boutique at the roadside market in Orile complained that some leaders in the country also share part of the blame in terms of the fight against COVID-19 citing that most of them hardly wear nose masks when in public and that there is no way the citizens can be compelled to always abide by the protocols.

“Some of our governors, senators and the president do not wear nose mask so how do you want me to believe that this thing exists, it is God that will help us,” says the trader.

Ola, who owns a boutique at Balogun says, “Initially, I used to wear my nose mask but recently since the number of infections in the state have started reducing I don’t wear it any longer.”

Earlier in the week, the state government had stressed the need for residents to strictly adhere to precautionary measures against the transmission of COVID-19 to prevent another lockdown of the economy, in which a resurgence of cases in the state may stall measures put in place by the government to open up the economy.