In an effort to enforce social distancing in public places like markets and check the spread of the coronavirus, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Musa Bello has directed the enforcement of the use of face masks in all Abuja market places.
Similarly, the Minister has also directed the Abuja Market Management Limited (AMML) to create about 40 neighbourhood selling points at the various districts within the capital city with the view to decongest the existing markets.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the AMML, Abubakar Usman Farouk briefed journalists yesterday that the Minister has also approved the extension of business hours for markets in the FCT to now run from 8 am – 3 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Accordingly, the directive will come into force with effect from Saturday, April 25, 2020, the review earlier approved time of 10 am – 2 pm.
Ahead of the take-off of the neighbourhood selling points, the Minister stressed that while observing social distancing, all users of the market in the FCT must use face masks.
He urged the FCT residents to support the idea behind the lockdown by limiting themselves only to the market in their neighbourhood.
The Minister tasked the law enforcement agencies to clamp down on those who violet the lockdown law in the pretext of going to the market.