Iyaloja General Warns Marketers Against Flouting Lockdown Order

By Sodiq Yusuf

The Iyaloja-General of the State of Osun,
​Alhaja Awawu Asindemade has warned
​market men and women across the state against flouting the sit-at-home order declared by the state government to prevent the spread of the ravaging Coronavirus.

Asindemade in an interview with OSUN DEFENDERon Wednesday urged traders to abide by the lockdown for their safety and in the interest of the state.

The Iyalode of Osogbo noted that although, the lockdown order has taken its toll on their finances and wellbeing, the marketers should endure and keep to the precautionary measures to avoid the spread of the virus.

She disclosed that the Market Women Association had taken steps to enlighten marketers, traders and business owners in the state on why they should comply with government’s directives on the closure of markets.

Asindemade dissociated herself from the partial opening of some markets at evening time by traders in almost every part of the state, in defiance to the stay-at-home regulation, stating that efforts were on to check the situation and ensure that none of the market women flout the lockdown order again.

She lauded the moves by government to curb the spread of the virus, urging it to do more with respect to providing succour to the less privileged.

The Iyaloja-General, who expressed concern over the skyrocketing prices of commodities, explained that the development is as a result of the effect of the lockdown, which was expected due to the stringent restriction measures across the country.

“I am not aware of the fact that market activities go on daily because I do not go out like before. We get reports daily of places where activities go on in the evening and we are appealing to government to help fish the recalcitrant ones among residents. We know a lot of our people complied but there are some others who are bad eggs.

“Few days ago, I was at Ifon-Osun and Erin-Osun markets to monitor the level of compliance of market men and women. I have not been able to visit many places. The reports we get is that the marketers coming out are complaining that they needed to sell their perishable goods like vegetables, yam and pepper. We understand the situation with people, but we would keep appealing to them to put safety first.

“The government has sent numerous representatives to meet us. We have also got across to the market leaders at local government levels and they are working hard to keep the sensitization going.

“Marketers, traders and business owners should embrace safety, they should obey the government, and they should sit at home and understand that all of us have to protect ourselves from this deadly virus.

“I want to appreciate the Federal and State governments for what they have done so far. They have indeed tried. We should continue to listen to them. By God’s grace, we will, collectively, be able to stop the spread very soon.

“About the rising prices of commodities, you will agree with me that the lockdown has affected the costs of transportation and so the effect will have direct reflection on prices of goods. Most marketers adduce the rise in price to the cost of bringing them down from where they procured it. We cannot stop that.”