To ensure that people adhere to the COVID-19 protocols especially the wearing of nose masks, leaders of the Mallam Attah Market in Accra in collaboration with the Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly are embarking on “Operation Wednesday No Nose Mask No Entry” to the market.
According to the Mallam Attah Market leader, Asafoanye Ogbedee, some traders and buyers come to the market without nose masks and that has prompted the leadership to put in place punitive measures to ensure both traders and buyers comply with the COVID-19 safety protocols.
Ghana is experiencing a surge in the COVID-19 and children have started contracting the virus. It is in this vein that the Ghana Health Service is advising the public to always adhere to the safety protocols especially the wearing of face masks to prevent the contracting the virus.
But on a visit to the Mallam Attah Market, we observed that the traders are aware of the safety protocol and have blatantly refused to wear the nose masks.
Some of them gave the excuse of health reasons while others say they don’t feel comfortable when wearing the masks.
We also saw that there were no veronica buckets placed at vantage places to ensure hand washing but the social distancing protocol was in place.
The market leader of Market, Asafoaye Ogbedee said, some of the leaders of the market are not adhering to the safety protocols themselves and therefore cannot advise colleagues to do so.
She said they are collaborating with the Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly and the Kotobabi Police station to embark on “Operation Wednesday, No Nose Mask No Entry” in the market.
The operation will kick start next week Wednesday.
A Unit Committee Member of Mallam Attah, Electoral Area, Ismail Karim, urged the authorities particularly law enforcement agencies to ensure traders comply with the safety protocols.
Some of the traders who wore the nose masks said those refusing to wear the masks are putting every individual who comes to the Mallam Atta Market at risk and perpetrators should be given some from of punishment like sweeping, desilting the drains among others.
Meanwhile, traders who do not put on the nose mask were given a word of caution by the Market Leader, Asafoanye Ogbedee to put on the nose mask all the times.
