The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) mobile court has ordered the reopening of Wuse, UTC markets and Murg Shopping Plaza which was shut down on Monday in Abuja for going against the COVID-19 safety protocol.
DAILY POST reported that the court had issued a fine of 50,000 each on the three facilities, for utter disregard to COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations Act 2021, which must be paid before the reopening.
The court order, however, stated that the facilities were now open. This was confirmed by Mr Ikharo Attah, Head, Media and Enlightenment of FCT Ministerial Taskforce on Enforcement COVID-19 Protocols.
Attah warned that any further violation would lead to a complete shutdown of the markets.
”Almost two day after the closure of the Wuse, UTC markets and Murg Shopping Plaza, the presiding judge, Magistrate Idayat Akani, having observed what was reported back by the team that inspected the two affected markets.
” And also the undertaken written by the leadership of the three business centres assuring that they will comply with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 guidelines on COVID-19, the judge in her wisdom ordered the unsealed of the markets and fine each of them N50,0000 which they hurriedly paid.” NAN quoted him as saying.
He went further to explain that from what the task force saw during inspections of the affected markets, they were largely prepared to strictly obey the COVID-19 protocols.
He added, “If the markets fail to abide by the COVID-19 protocols again, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello and the Commissioner of Police directed that the business facilities should be completely shut down.”