By Olukayode Babalola
Lafia – Mr Dogo Shammah, Nasarawa Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism has decried the non-compliance of residents with government’s stay-at-home and markets closure directives aimed curtailing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.
Shammah expressed his displeasure over the development in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Wednesday.
Part of the measures taken by the State’s Task Force on COVID-19 is for traders, except those selling food items and medicaments, to close shop until further notice.
NAN, however, reports that some traders have continued to sell their goods in defiance to government directive.
Shammah expressed sadness over the development, saying that those doing so “are stubborn and insensitive to the current situation the state, country and the world.’’
He, therefore, appealed to the people of the state to see reasons with the government on this pandemic.
“We, as a government, don’t want any citizen to be infected directly or indirectly.
“That is why these measures are been taken,’’ he said.
The commissioner warned that the state government would not hesitate to sanction anyone found violating its directive.
NAN reports that in Nasarawa-Eggon and Lafia Local Government Areas, there was partial compliance with the restriction order as some shops were seen closed.
Mallam Muraki Zubairu, a trader in Nasarawa-Eggon, said he decided to flout the directive because he could “hardly feed his family after staying at home for the first few days.”
“At first, I obeyed but life became difficult for my family and I had to open the shop to sell so that I can take care of their needs.
“Aside that, I noticed that many other traders are still disobeying the directive.
“That prompted me to join too,’’ he said.
(NAN)