Traders at the Rumuwoji Market, popularly known as Mile One Market, have commended the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, over the reopening of markets across the state on account of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The traders, who expressed satisfaction over the bounce back to business after four months of staying at home.
A shop owner in the market, Mrs Christiana George, who could not contain her joy told The Tide that life was tough for her family as her husband passed away in the midst of the pandemic and could not also be intered for lack of funds, noting that with the markets now open, plans could now be made for the interment.
Many of the traders who were seen cleaning their shops and sorting their wares, lamented that most of their stock had expired due to the unceremonious shutdown of the markets in the state. A grocery shop owner in the Mile One Market, Mrs Esther Onugna, while thanking Goveronr Nysom Wike for reopening the markets, regretted that nearly all her wares had either expired or mouldered due to the shut down for more than four months.
Onugha appealed to the government for some sort of grant to enable them restock and get back into business fully.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Mile Market Traders Association, Mr Ndubueze Enyiche, pledged the traders preparedness to support the state government in the fight against the deadly virus, adding that the traders would adhere to the COVID-19 containment protocol in the market.
Enyiche stated that the traders association would put in place a taskforce that would ensure the implementation of the prevention protocol, particularly the “no face mask no entry” protocol.
He apologized for the poor compliance level, attributing it to the fact that it was the first day that markets were reopened Tuesday after almost five months of being shutdown.
Also speaking, the state coordinator, of the risk communication and community Engagement Team for Covid-19, and one of the Pillars of the Covid-19 Rapid Responses Team, Mr Olowale Mordicai who was monitory the compliance levels in the markets, frowned at the low level of compliance in the market, observing that it was an indication that they were not prepared to have the markets.
Mordicai, charged them to not disappoint the governor by stepping up their level of compliance.
On his part, the General Manager, Rivers State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Mrs Napoleon Adah, who was also part of the monitoring teams warned the traders that defaulters would be sanctioned, and charged if they donot comply with the Covid-19 provocation protocol to protect themselves and their families.
Wash buckets were seen at the entry points of the market with the union members were enforcing the use of facemask and hand wash before entry.
Recall that the Rivers State Governor had on Monday, in a statewide broad cast announce the reopening of markets, across the state, which were shutdown at the outset of the corona virus pandemic in the state.

Tonye Nria-Dappa