FOLLOWING directives from Government to shut down markets within the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) jurisdiction for a fumigation exercise against the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) to be carried out, business for some shop owners in Accra came to a halt on Monday morning.
On Friday, March 20, government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), as part of efforts to contain and curb the further spread of COVID-19 launched a national disinfection and sensitizing programme for markets and market women across the country.
The exercise, being carried out in collaboration with other ministries, will see the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Halima Mahama and other female ministers storm various major and minor market centers and lorry stations in Accra and other parts of the country to sensitize the masses on the need to ensure strict hygiene on both personal and commercial levels in their daily business activities and engagements.
The exercise will also see the markets and some public spaces around the country sprayed to disinfect surfaces and drainages among others in a bid foil the breeding of the coronavirus and other harmful organisms.
However, some shops within townships were found closed down on Monday morning. Lorry stations too were found virtually empty.
A usually active and noisy Dansoman Last Stop lorry station, with brisk business activities ongoing, was seen deserted on Monday morning with all shops closed down. There was also no sign of street hawkers in or around the station.
A drive down through Agege, Korle-Bu, Bishop Bowers Basic School all the way to the Accra Post Office at Accra Central and Adabraka showed similar pictures of shops closed.
Worth noting was also the drastic drop in the number of commercial vehicles that plied some of the major streets of Accra.
It appears some sections of the public had misinterpreted the directive to shut down the markets for fumigation.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio