Lagos Government Orders Closure Of Markets
Lagos Government Orders Closure Of Markets
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, flanked by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat (left) and Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola (right) during a media briefing to update on the Coronavirus pandemic, at Lagos House, Marina, on Sunday, March 22, 2020.
The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday ordered the temporary closure of all markets that are not selling essential commodities like medical equipment, water, foodstuff with effect from Thursday.
Sanwo said this in a press briefing on Tuesday evening.
During the briefing, he said:
“It is not a total lockdown, we still want people on essential services to go about their normal activities.
“We are trying to de-centralize markets in Lagos. This is why we want to use some of our closed schools as markets, so people can buy food and medicine without going a long distance.
“It is only when you are alive that you can talk about economics and finance.”
“All open markets and stores are directed to close, except for sellers of food and medicines, medical equipment and other essential life-saving products.
For those that fall into the aforementioned categories, it is imperative that they observe necessary precautionary measures of social distancing,” he added.
The governor also urged all travel to and from Lagos, whether by air or by road, be avoided at this time, in line with earlier directive by the Federal Government to the residents of Lagos and Abuja to stay home.
He said “I would like to reiterate this in the strongest terms possible. As much as possible let us all refrain from inter-state traveling of any kind, until the worst of the crisis is behind us.”
He warned that anyone caught flouting any of the above directives as well as the previously issued directives would be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.
“As I mentioned, law enforcement agencies and other relevant Lagos State protection agencies have been imbued with the power to deal with recalcitrant offenders. We will not relent in ensuring strict compliance with our directives.
He, however, said that all confirmed cases and the ones that have since been discharged, were doing well and in stable condition.
Sanwo-Olu also assured that the state government was identifying other isolation centers across the five divisional zones of Ikeja; Badagry; Ikorodu; Lagos Island and Epe to ensure seamless and coordinated approach towards the quick identification and isolation of suspected cases without overwhelming the mainland infectious diseases hospital in Yaba.
