Due to the increase in Ghana’s coronavirus cases, several markets in the country have been shut down as it has been observed that the measures instituted to observe social distancing are not yielding the intended results.
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Many Ghanaians have expressed their displeasure with market women defying the social distancing directive.
However, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Honourable Cynthia Morrison has said that Ghanaians should refrain from pushing all the blame on the market women as she explains that the adequate space has not been made available for the market women to observe the social distancing directive.
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In an exclusive interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, she stated: “We have to look for adequate space for them and separate them. We will not put the blame solely on their doorstep. They don’t have the space and they can’t go for the space. So now we are helping them with space sometimes on a school park but my only fear is that if schools reopen, they may not have a space to trade”.
She illustrated the current situation of market women by sharing the example of the Swedru market in the Central Region, which has currently been closed down.
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“Inasmuch as I would say the market women are not following the protocols, I should not be an ostrich and bury my head in the sand and think that I have covered myself. I will take the Swedru market for example. We have closed down the market. When we built the Swedru market, it accommodated a certain number of people. With time, the market women were joined by their children who helped them. We also have people outside that bracket who are also in the market. So the people have become more than the space in the market. So now who goes home and who stays in order to observe social distancing”, she said.
She commented that the Ministry was committed to solving the problem of adequate space for the market to ensure that social distancing is observed. However, her message to market women was that they should also do their part to help contain the spread of the disease.
“Some women are also stubborn. They still sell at places designated for lorry stations. I am advocating for them but I will still talk against them if they go wrong. Everyone needs to wash their hands, wear their nose masks and observe social distancing”, she added.
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Even though the President in his past addresses to the nation encouraged social distancing as part of the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, it was observed that there was zero social distancing in some markets across the country. This has led to the closure of some markets.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah