Stiff-necked traders plying their usual commercial business at the Kumasi central market have provoked city authorities to put the area under lock and key for palpably disregarding the social distancing protocol in the wake of the corona virus pandemic.
Mayor for Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Hon Osei Assibey in a press release signed by him and copied to the office of leakynews.net announced that, without any favour, the central market will be closed tomorrow Tuesday7th April 2020 and that no trader will be permitted entry into the area.
The area he announced will be shut down in the interim to enable traders reorganize themselves into groups to trade in turns to reduce congestion in order to comply with the social distancing measure aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.
The above decision was called into play after the Kumasi Metropolitan Security Council (METSEC) realized the gravity of traders’ disregard for social distancing.
Executives of the council claim they received report in the early hours of today Monday 6th April 2020 that the traders were congested in their operations.
“…the scary nature of the report warranted an emergency METSEC meeting with the eleven member committee of the Kumasi Central Market as well as other leaders of the sixty seven trade associations of the market”.
Per the statement of KMA Boss who is also the Chairman for METSEC, trading along the margins of the road at the central market and the central business district remains prohibited.
In Singapore, the government has introduced new laws governing social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak that could see offenders serve six months in jail.
Those who do not keep at least one meter(3.2feet) apart or who meet in groups of more that 10 people outside of work or school , could face a fine of up to 10,000 Singapore dollars and or up to six months imprisonment.
The same penalties cover those who fail to stay in their accommodation if given a “stay home” notice.
By Enock Akonnor; Editor-in-chief