The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello after a meeting with the FCT COVID-19 emergency response team and FCT security committee announced new schedule for markets in the capital.
The FCT Minister in a press statement released in the evening hours of Saturday said that the new schedule includes new day for markets to open, and added time. While new sections of the markets were also allowed to open up as a direct effect of the further ease of the lockdown in the FCT.
The markets are now to be opened from 8 am to 3 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, taking effect from Monday 25th May. The new sections to be opened in addition to the foodstuff sections are the agricultural sections for sales with regards to farm activities like fertilizers, herbicides, seeds and agricultural implements. The building and construction materials sections is also to be opened, as well as the section for electrical items used only for construction works.
The FCT minister also acknowledged that neighborhood markets managed by the Abuja Markets Management Ltd that sells only foodstuff are allowed to operate daily from Monday.
The FCT minister also pointed out that those new sections to be opened are to be properly decontaminated as advised on part of the recommendations to recommence operations, in order to ensure safety from the virus. Also, all measures in place for the prevention of COVID-19 are to be observed in the market at all times, including social distancing and the use of face masks and sanitizers.