The Jigawa Government has lifted the suspension it placed on weekly markets across the state.
Gov. Muhammad Badaru made the announcement while updating journalists on COVID-19 pandemic containment on Monday in Dutse.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the State Government had on March 30, suspended all weekly markets as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state.
Badaru, however, said that people must observe basic protection measures, including handwashing and use of face masks while in the markets.
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He warned that mobile court had been created to try defaulters of the order.
He further directed local council chairmen to provide handwashing facilities in the markets.
According to him, one of the reasons the weekly markets days were suspended was to prevent the influx of people through the state’s borders.
The governor further said that movements through the borders would tightly be controlled to ensure that COVID-19 was not transmitted to the state again.
“As I mentioned in my address last week, we’re making progress in the fight against COVID-19 in the state.
“This is evidenced by the decrease in new infections as well as recoveries of those already infected.
“To date, the state has tested 2,060 suspected cases out of which 283 returned positive and 222 patients have so far recovered while eight have died.
“In addition to the foregoing, no local government area is under lockdown currently. Consequently, the state has found it necessary to lift the weekly market days suspension with immediate effect,” Badaru said.
He stated that the decision was because the government had ramped up its testing capacity and COVID-19 surveillance across the state.
He expressed gratitude to all those that contributed to the success, either financially, materially or through prayers for divine intervention as the state passed through the COVID-19 storm.