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George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Residents of Owerri , the Imo State capital have devised an ingenious way of beating the lockdown imposed by the state government by making brisk sales at the major markets early in the mornings and then shutting down before 10 am to evade arrest by security agents.
This is just as most eatries around the New Owerri now open their doors to customers in the evenings.
Even street food vendors along Hospital Road have continued with their business despite the presence of security agents at a road block few metres away.
Recall that Governor Hope Uzodinma had last week Saturday ordered the closure of all major markets in the state and restriction on movement as part of the preventive measures to curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
However, our reporter who went round the Owerri metropolis today discovered that most residents have shunned the order by the state government to remain indoors as part of the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
It was also discovered that market women especially those who deal in perishables now go to the markets as early as 6 am in the morning to sale their items and and leave the market before 10 am obviously to evade arrest by the security agents.
One of the traders who simply identify herself as Mrs. Gladys said that as a result of the order by the governor that all markets should be shut down in the state that those of them who sale perishables have to go to the market very early in the morning to sell their wares.
“Those of us who sale vegetables come to the market around 6 am in the morning to sell and before 10 am we are back to home to avoid harassment from the police and army people who usually start patrolling the markets . Another time we open the market is in the evening around 7 pm for those who want to buy food stuffs to do so.”
Speaking in the same vein , Mrs Uloma Eke who sells iced fish at the Egbeda market said that the only time she could sell her wares is very early in the morning and afterwards wait in the evening.
“I sale iced fish and our suppliers bring them early in the morning and immediately we get the supplies I move to the market because most women come to the market very early to buy what they want . This is how we have been doing business until the government reopens the market. But since this problem of coronavirus started, I have reduced the quantity that I normally buy so that I can easily dispose of them.”
