By Uzor Odigbo and Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Eighty percent compliance by traders operating in Lagos markets on the stay at home order as directed by the Lagos State governor Babtunde Sanwo-olu, has been described as impressive.
Recall that total of 17 popular markets in Lagos were shut to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.
The state commissioner for Transport Mr. Federico Oladeinde who said this while monitoring the level of compliance in most markets in Lagos noted that, in the days ahead, there would be total compliance.
Checks by TheNiche have it that some of the popular markets namely, Mile 12, Idumagbo, Balogun, Ladipo, Oshodi , GSM market, Computer Village markets were all deserted incompliance with Lagos State government directives as traders didn’t show up for regular business.
Some of the traders sighted were playing football and chatting among themselves devoid of buying and selling.
At Alaba international market there was no trader sighted, the market was empty without it’s usually bustling mature.
An eyewitness said, the closure of major markets in Lagos State was necessary especially the ones close to the borders. Insisting that Lagos bordered many countries in West Coast of Africa and could serve as gateway to mass influx of people with the dreaded Virus.
The closure of the markers according to Lagos State government will last for seven days in the first instance before a review.
Some of the traders seen around the market environment, explained that most of them sleep in their shops and have no home of their own, while others said that staying at home is boring.
The compliance was partially observed within Orile-Iganmu axis of the state. A check by our correspondent revealed that some stores/shops in various streets within the area opened for business. There were also movements of people and commercial buses.
Some individuals who have their workshops within the area went to work, given that the state is not on lock-down, except those whose businesses are in Lagos Island.
However big markets such as Odun Ade plumbing market, Orile second hand clothes, cooking utensils, provisions and electrical market, Alaba/Suru market were all closed to business. Oja market at Cooker was also locked up
Public/civil servants below Level 12, were equally noticed staying indoors as ordered but private businesses operated. A building materials dealer who refused to disclose his name expressed that the stay-at-home is for salary earners.
“If salary earners stay at home, they will be paid at the end of month. But for me and other private business people, if we stay at home, how can we get money to buy food for this two weeks?”, he asked
When reminded of the risk of movements by people in the face of this scourging coronavirus, he said that he was conscious of the infection.
At the Satellite end of the state, shop owners in the streets and local areas opened for business. Bus drivers, tricycle operators and commercial motorcyclists (Okada), were fully in business, with most of them, not even putting on face masks, alongside their passengers. For them, the directive on social distancing, appeared not to have recorded impacts.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde has emphasised the need for public transportation vehicles to comply with the government’s directive on 60% loading capacity as required by the World Health Organisation’s social distancing order.
According to a statement, the Commissioner said the directive was part of the measures taken by the State Government to prevent a state-wide spread of COVID-19 in motor parks, garages and water jetties.
Oladeinde insisted that all BRT buses must not load beyond 60% capacity, for now, to ensure that commuters keep social distance and avoid contact, while commercial buses, popularly known as Danfo, are expected to reduce their loading capacity from 14 to 8 passengers per bus to avoid easy contact and spread of the deadly coronavirus.
He assured that the ‘Abandoned Vehicles and Parks Monitoring Committee’ will monitor operations of garages and parks while the Police will continue to enforce the laws on violators, warning that any driver that exceeds the regulated 60% loading capacity at this critical time would face the wrath of the law.
“In compliance with the social distancing order as a way of preventing easy contact with the deadly coronavirus, all transport operators are expected to sanitise their parks and garages regularly; they must ensure that passengers are not more than two per line on a bus, no standing in any bus is allowed, no matter how short the distance. Violators of will be punished.
Disclosing that the same directive has been issued to the Lagos State Water Ways Authority and all relevant stakeholders in the water transportation business, including boat operators, Oladeinde said that, henceforth, all boats and life jackets must be thoroughly disinfected before any trip.
The Commissioner added that all passengers embarking on boat and ferry trips are compulsorily required to wash their hands with soap and water at the jetty before and after every trip, noting that the use of temperature monitors by operators is also mandatory.
While assuring that the State Government is leaving no stone unturned to prevent the spread of deadly COVID-19 disease, Oladeinde urged the residents to cooperate with the government by adhering to the rules of engagement so as to jointly fight the dreadful virus to a standstill.
Meanwhile, the State Government has observed with dismay an upsurge in illegal activities that hamper the development of infrastructure along the waterfront in Lagos..
The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Arc. Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi, who disclosed this at Alausa, Ikeja, explained that such actions along the waterfront of the State result from the low level of activities following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Commissioner noted that the illegal work has been issued a ‘STOP WORK ORDER’ for immediate compliance.
Abdullahi stated that the Compliance Team of the Ministry has since been mandated to monitor the State Waterfront, enforce and apply when necessary, appropriate sanctions according to the Laws guiding the State Waterfront Infrastructure Development.
He enjoined stakeholders to maintain compliance, adding that enforcement efforts would be sustained despite all odds, saying that “There will be life after COVID-19 and as such we will not allow the destruction of our environment and infrastructure