Connect with us

Metro

COVID-19: Edo Govt Enforces Market Relocation Order As Market Women Groan

Published

on

… Public Transporters Hike T-fare

By Joe Ebi

The directive given by the Edo State government some days back that all markets in the state should be shut down and consequently relocated to a nearby primary school was implemented on Wednesday, April 7.

Advertisement

The state government had on Monday, April 6 ordered the shut down and relocation of major markets in the state.

Evbuotubu market, Egor LGA , Benin City, deserted when Info Daily visited on Wednesday.

Deputy Governor of the state, Philp Shaibu, while briefing newsmen on the said date, said the closure and reloaction of the markets was to enable the government fumigate them in order to curtail the spread of the novel Coronavirus in the state.

READ ALSO: Lockdown: Police Tear-gas Rioting Okada Riders In Delta

He noted that after the markets must have been successfully fumigated, they would be open for full operations and that businesses would return to normalcy.

Advertisement

Still scene of Evbuotubu market on Wednesday when Info Daily visited

Meanwhile, INFO DAILY’s visit to one of the markets, Evbuotubu market, our reporter observed empty and deserted market while some women were seen in their 3, 4, discussing the new development.

Security personnel were also seen patrolling the market area with their hillux van to make sure people adhere to the directive.

Chicken section of Oliha market empty as at when Info Daily visited on Wednesday

A market woman spoke in pidgin with INFO DAILY but does not want her name mentioned in print, said there are other pressing issues government ought to attend to for market women rather than shutting down markets and reloacting them.

READ ALSO: Lockdown: Group Wants Courts exempted To Address Rising Abuses

According to her, at Evbuotubu market, they pay N400 revenue to the government everyday, stressing that this ought not to be.

Advertisement

Scene of the ever busy Oliha market, Benin

While lamenting that all roads that link Evbuotubu have been a death trap for years, she called on the government to quickly rehabilitate these roads so has to make life easier for residents of the area.

Another women who spoke but does not want her name mentioned as well, said the government would have device another means of achieving it purpose rather than ordering marketers to relocate.

“This Evbuotubu market is for every four four days (sic). The government would have ask us to leave immediately after the regular market and fumigate it within the four days so that we can come for the regular market.

Empty scene of the ever busy Oba market

READ ALSO: BREAKING: COVID-19: Major Markets To Shut Down Temporarily In Edo, Says Deputy Governor

“Also, the ticket (sic) we are paying everyday is too much. We pay N400 to the government everyday when all what some people make in a day is not even much”, she noted.

Advertisement

At Oliha market, the story was not different as the ever busy market was empty and deserted. Both regular and mobile policemen were seen standing at strategic locations apparently to enforce the government’s directive.

Meanwhile, visit to the popular Oba market, Oredo local government area, Benin shows the narrative was the same.

Scene of Oba market, Benin

As at when INFO DAILY was there, market men and women had been relocated while fumigation of the market and its environs had already commenced.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Ace Commedian Writes Buhari, Prescribes How To Combat Spread Of Pandemic

Advertisement

In another development, public transporters have increased transport fare within Benin metropolis.

Investigation by INFO DAILY revealed that, in adherence to government’s directive of 2 persons in a roll and I person at the front, some drivers have increased their their charges by 100% while some increased theirs by 50%.

Still Oba Market , Benin

INFO DAILY gathered this at Evbuotubu market to ring road and other places visited today.

Recall, when government gave the directive of 2 persons in a roll, it was said the move was to maintain the social distancing precaution, warning that, this does not give motorists go ahead to hike their charges.

Advertisement

Kelly Okogbowa, Vice Chairman, Edo State Taskforce Technical Committee on COVID-19, while giving the directive on behalf of the state government on Friday April 3rd said, “You are are to load two passengers at the back seat, two passengers at the middle seat and one passenger at the front seat. If you load more than this requirement, you will be arrested and be prosecuted accordingly.

Shops under lock and key at the popular Oba Market

“The state government wants to curb the spread of Coronavirus so this is how it will be for now.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: ‘Load More Than Two Passengers Per Seat, Get Arrested’, Edo Govt Warns Motorists

“You are not paying for ticket, that has been suspended. Fuel price has drop, so you are not expected to increase your price. You have no reason to inflate transport fare because what could have led you to do so had been addressed by the government. And so, you are expected to charge the old price.”

Advertisement

Advertisement
Comments

Metro

Tragedy As Man Kills Pregnant Wife In Edo

Published

on

By

A bereaved father, Samuel Adun, has offered to pay N100,000 to anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of his son-in-law, identified simply as Inuaghata.

Inuaghata was alleged to have killed his pregnant wife, Osaretin.

Advertisement

Adun told journalists in Benin on Friday that his daughter had three children for the suspect.

READ ALSO: Delta:  Commuter Dies In Crash, Police Seek Relatives

He noted that he was called that his daughter was killed by her husband, adding that Inuaghata had gone into hiding since May 24 when the incident happened.

Advertisement

He said, “I hail from Orhionmwon Local Government Area. My daughter was killed by her husband. She was 23 years old. The incident happened at Egba on May 24.

“I do not understand the problem they had that led to the killing of my daughter. I was called that my daughter was killed. He used a knife to slit her throat; she was pregnant when she was killed. I want the boy arrested.

READ ALSO: Court Admits In Evidence Two Video Clips Supporting Obi’s Petition

Advertisement

“I will give anybody N100,000 for information that can lead to the arrest of the suspect. The boy had not formally married my daughter. His parents are both dead. I have called his brother that he ran away after killing my daughter.”

The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, said the matter had not been brought to his attention.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Metro

Delta:  Commuter Dies In Crash, Police Seek Relatives

Published

on

By

The Delta State Police Command has sought help in locating the family members and friends of a commuter killed in a crash in the state.

The deceased, according to the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, was involved in an accident along the Illah-Asaba Expressway by Ngegwu Market.

Advertisement

The accident reportedly involved a Toyota Sienna with the number plate, JRV 398 ZY, driven by one Chima Uzor, who collided with a motorcycle rider.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tragedy, Many Injured As Bus Conveying Intending Saudi Pilgrims Crashes In Abuja

The PPRO, in a signed statement on Friday, said the corpse was deposited in the St. James Hospital Mortuary, Illah.

Advertisement

The police spokesman urged any person who knew the victim, his parents, friends or other relatives to report at Motorpol Asaba, St. James Hospital Mortuary, Illah, or the police headquarters, Asaba, for possible identification and collection of the body.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Metro

Enugu Varsity Student, Others Arrested For Vandalising Cables

Published

on

By

A suspected vandal, identified as Samuel Umenze, has been arrested for allegedly vandalising cables belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc.

Umenze, a 100-level student of Agric Extension at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was arrested on the school premises by the institution’s security.

Advertisement

He was allegedly caught with large quantities of peeled cables and equipment used for the crime.

The Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Friday, said the incident happened on Tuesday.

READ ALSO: 10th NASS: South-West Caucus Writes PDP, Demands Minority Leader Position

Advertisement

According to him, Umenze, while confessing to the crime, claimed he carried out the criminal act alone at night and sold his loot to a buyer in Onitsha, Anambra State.

Ezeh confirmed that investigation was already ongoing to arrest the receiver of the items.

In a related development, on Monday, at Oshituma, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, three vandal suspects identified as Fleke Kingsley, Egbo Friday, and Okefe Stanley, were also arrested by the community vigilantes.

Advertisement

The suspects were arrested while in possession of three bags containing about six spans of aluminium conductors belonging to the EEDC.

Ezeh lamented the increasing rate at which EEDC facilities were being attacked by vandals and called on customers to remain vigilant and ensure the electricity installations serving them were not attacked by vandals.

READ ALSO: NLC Vows To Fight Against “Black Market” Court Injunctions

Advertisement

He said, “There is no day that passes without a report of a vandalised facility in our network.

“This is inconveniencing our customers and making us deploy the scarce resources meant for other projects into the replacement of the vandalised items, and this is no longer sustainable.

“We should all work together as stakeholders to checkmate this ugly trend.”

Advertisement

Ezeh confirmed that the arrested vandals had been handed over to the police for detailed investigation and possible prosecution.

 

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending