Obiano Shuts Down Popular Anambra Market Over COVID-19 Protocols

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has ordered that the Agbaedo Nnewi New Motor Spare Parts Market be closed for one week.

In a statement signed by the commissioner for trade and commerce, Mr Uchenna Okafor, on Saturday, Obiano ordered the closure of the market following the disregard for the COVID-19 safety protocol by both traders and customers.

Obiano also requested that the officials of the market appear before the commissioner for health, Dr Vincent Okpala for retraining and recertification, within the period of the closure.

“Following the non-compliance to the COVID-19 safety protocols by the Agbaedo new motor spare parts market, Nnewi, His Excellency the executive governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has ordered for the closure of the market,” the statement read in part.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has debunked reports that it disqualified any African country from accessing COVID–19 vaccines through the COVAX facility.

The WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulomboo, made the clarification during a joint press conference with the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, on Saturday.

According to WHO, Nigeria has received the largest allocation with 16 million doses out of the 88 million AstraZeneca doses allocated to Africa for the first phase.