By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Barely 24 hours after the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) authorities through a court pronouncement shut down the popular Wuse Main Market and UTC Shopping Plaza, Abuja, affected traders and artisans are lamenting the loss of their livelihood.
An FCTA Mobile Court had on Monday ordered the immediate closure of Wuse and UTC markets over flagrant disregard to COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations Act, 2021.
Magistrate Idayat Akanni, gave the order, after the defaulters were brought before the court.
Prompt News reports that Ikharo Attah, Head , Publicity and Enlightenment, FCT Ministerial Enforcement Task Force on COVID-19 had told journalists on Monday that FCTA has received the Covid-19 Executive Order signed by President Muhammadu Buhari hence it has directed the security agencies and Enforcement Task Force to ensure compliance with the regulations in the territory.
Attah had explained that the enforcement of the Executive Order was in line with directive of the President which was heavily carried out by the FCTA Task Force.
According to him the law had empowered the Task Force to ensure total compliance with the regulations in FCTA, the reason the Task Force is going round strategic places in the city to arrest violators and shut down business premises.
But Prompt News can confirm that victims are lamenting their ordeal over the Executive Order signed by President Buhari, on Jan. 26, 2021 in exercising the powers conferred upon him by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010, and all other powers enabling him.
The protection regulations will serve the urgent need to protect the health and wellbeing of Nigerians in the face of widespread and rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria.
Our correspondent reports that worst hit are traders, artisans and food vendors at Wuse Main Market, UTC and Murg Shopping Plazas which were shut down on Monday.
Also sellers of edible things and perishable goods like tomatoes, peppers, vegetables and carrots are counting their losses as many of them claim that they were taken unawares.
Hajia Amina Bature who deals on baskets of tomatoes and peppers at Wuse Main Market claimed the traders were chased out of the market abruptly on Monday, a situation she claimed has led to heavy loss of her goods because she was not allowed back into the market to sell her goods.
Also John Okechukwu who repairs electronic gadgets inside Wuse Main Market and Abioudun Balogun, a printer at UTC Shopping complex, Abuja said they have lost revenues because of the closure of their business premises.
“I am not happy about the shut down of our market since Monday. Nobody saw it coming and this has cost me the money I get from repairing radio, television sets and other electronics for customers. We earn our daily bread by coming out here everyday”, Okechukwu lamented.
