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Major Markets in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital witnessed an unprecedented surge of anxious Traders and Consumers who rushed to restock as Governor Nyesom Wike, directed their reopening between 7am to 12 for Easter Shopping for today Tuesday April 7 and Wednesday April 8.
Our Correspondent who monitored some Markets and the prevailing prices of foodstuffs found out that Prices of some of them dropped as compared with when the Markets shutdown to Covid19.
At the Rumuokoro Roundabout Market, Custard bucket tomatoes that was sold between N2,500 and N3,000 today was sold between N1,000 and N1,200,also Custard bucket of Irish potatoes went for N1,800, price of fresh pepper, Beans etc went down.
The Creek Road, Choba Markets, Rumuokoro Markets, women displayed their wares even on the main road making almost impossible for motorists to meander through unlike other days.
In all the Markets, crowd of anxious Traders and buyers didn’t observe the Social Distancing at all as they rushed to make purchases to beat the 12 noon deadline ordered by Governor Wike in a statewide broadcast on Monday night.
However, various traders and Women interviewed complained about the shot duration of only 5 hours allowed to transact businesses in a state where all Markets were shutdown for more than one week.
A Woman, popularly known in Rumuokoro Market as Mama Chidinma who deals on food items like Garri, Pepper, Tomatoes, Smoked fish etc said: “Our shops were locked since on Friday March 27, most of foodstuffs went high even when people had demand for them we couldn’t because of Taskforce that were impounding our goods”
For Mrs. Mula Akani, a mother of five commended the Governor for his efforts to ensure that the Covid19 does not spread in state by the lockdown but advised that there must be a very creative way to ensure that people have access to food by allocating few hours for shopping in specially designated areas like schools in an orderly manner manned by security agencies observe Social Distancing.
Governor Wike had announced that all markets in the state shall operate between 7am and 12noon on April 7 and April 8, 2020 to allow residents shop for Easter and also replenish their stock of foodstuffs.
He declared that Oil Mill Market, Mbiama Market and Slaughter Market will remain closed till further notice.
He said: “All markets in the state except Oil Mill Market, Mbiama Market and Slaughter Market at Trans-Amadi shall be open on Tuesday April 7 and Wednesday, April 8, 2020 from 7am to 12noon. After those two days, the markets will remain closed. This is to enable residents shop for Easter and also replenish their stock of foodstuffs.