Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Monday gave market leaders seven days ultimatum to ensure that markets have hand washing points or risk closure.
He warned residents flouting the dusk-to-dawn curfew to desist.
The governor spoke through his Special Adviser on Security, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, during a meeting with market leaders to comply with COVID-19 regulations.
He recalled that the government had given the markets samples of the hand washing facility, saying the materials had been vandalised.
Makinde said that it had become mandatory for the markets to multiply the samples within the next one week or risk being sanctioned.
He said although the government is not unaware of complaints that the facilities might have been vandalised, the market leaders are to secure and replicate the facilities provided.
The governor said: “The markets have seven days to multiply and replicate the samples of the hand washing basins designed and given to them.
“On people flouting the dusk- to-dawn curfew, the new directive is that anyone caught during the curfew will be asked to remain at the spot till 6am when the curfew lapses.”
Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun enjoined the market leaders to ensure that traders adhere to the rules of social distancing, the use of face mask and use of alcohol-based sanitisers.
He reminded the market leaders of the state’s directive on the use of face mask in public, which he said the government would enforce.
A representative of Adelabu Market at the meeting, Mr. Onaolapo Gafar, said the market leaders needed government backing to enforce the curfew, adding that street urchins had destroyed some of the hand washing facilities provided by the government
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