By Olanrewaju Adesanya
Following the reported secondwave of Coronavirus in some parts of the globe, the Executive Director and CEO of Lagos International Tradefair Complex Management Board, Chief Mrs Lucy Omosefe Ajayi, has charged traders, especially those at the ongoing local Xmasfair within the complex to take seriously the COVID-19 precautionary measures and ensure their safety during the yuletide transactions.
Chief Ajayi gave the counsel while speaking with newsmen who were on ground to witness the maiden visit of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment Nasir Sani-Gwarzo to the LITFC.
Ajayi who disclosed the postponement of the Monday December 1st 2020 visit till probably Christmas period, when the trading activities will have subsided owing to festivity, which will then give ample opportunity for the visiting Perm Sec to generally assess the state of things there, hinted that the Minister of Industry,Trade and Investment Otunba Niyi Adebayo is most likely to make the visit at that period also. The LITFCMB ED however, spoke about the Xmasfair exhibition which just started on the field portions of the complex,noting that it is an avenue to bolster commerce for individuals who have good wares to sell; like beautiful Ankara fabrics,beddings,various footwear and many more items for the yuletide at affordable price to showcase for intending customers.
According to Ajayi the Xmasfair exhibition signals one of the inherent potentials and possibilities in LITFC.
“There is an official visit of the Perm Sec Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to the Complex, that is his very first visit to know how the Complex looks like now because he has gotten so many reports.
“He now wants to see for himself but we can say fortunately not unfortunately he could not make it but the S.A and the other team are around.
“He is hoping to make that visit later this month of December, maybe late December during Christmas or after Christmas,which is better during the holiday to come and assess properly when the markets will not be on.
“Secondly we are having our Christmas local fair these are the two things happening in Tradefair now, I urge traders to comport themselves well ensuring maximum guarantee of their wellbeing, the second wave of Coronavirus is rocking some parts of the world and we been an International Trade Center must be cautious.
“I urge them all to align with medically proven protocols like frequent washing of hands with soap and running water, sanitizing,wearing of nose mask and more,to keep at bay the scourge of the virus, health is wealth.
Asked if the visit will also assess the devastating impacts of the explosion that happened at Abule Ado on the Tradefair Complex as a way to give respite to affected business owners the , the Executive Director notes that it is most likely that suffices.
Some of the traders on the alloted exhibition ground who spoke with newsmen, expressed their deep sense of appreciation for the opportunity afforded by the LITFCMB boss as it further affirms that live has been restored to the complex.
Foremost amongst the stakeholders at the Tradefair, Chief Eric Ilechukwu the President Association of Progressives Traders of Nigeria (APT),opined that given the proactiveness of the Tradefair management board and stakeholders, compliance with the COVID-19 protocols have been commended even by government.
“I have been a pacesetter for moves that guarantees the good of all traders here, I am the one that spread the consciousness of keeping to COVID-19 guidelines to BBA and ASPANDA, even the management board attested to this citing me as a point of reference to others.
The pandemic claimed the lives of so many in the world so it is not a childsplay, we need not allow the second wave to fester here.
“As regards COVID-19 protocols we are compliant and once another directive is given we effect it here in totality. We are hearing reports of the likelihood of a second wave of Coronavirus and I will not hesitate to put in place measures to forestall a spread, I care not whether we understand but whatever government tells us we follow to the letter.
“Once I give directive here aided by my taskforce everybody obeys. So compliance is spontaneous here.
As regards coming to the aid of those whose means of livelihood has been delved a debilitating blow, he pledge his poise to spread the joy of yuletide.
“Nobody knows 2020 will turn out the way it did, so I urge everyone to share goodies with people this yuletide, in my capacity I will also do my part by sharing the little I have with my people to give succour going by the harsh situations suffered by many during the COVID-19 period.” Said Ilechukwu.
Mrs Oluwakemi Hamzat one of the traders on ground was appreciative of the opportunity afforded traders by the LITFCMB, she noted that business is picking up gradually as people are patronizing their wares from far and near given the quality.
“We have menswear,childrenwear, ankara,cut and sow for the xmas we are still expecting more people to come and buy from us.
We have been adequately sensitized on the COVID-19 pandemic and needed healthy measures, which we complied with in time past and we are not leaving anything to chance”.
The LITFCMB has also provided wash-hand points with sanitizers at various locations around the premises,to forestall the unexpected.
Mr.Chukwu Eze Chidubem owner of Malaysia Fabric stand, also appreciated the board for the opportunity.
“We appreciate the management for allowing us to use the whole of the field,this year’s exhibition is one of the best since I have been attending exhibitions here.
“So we appreciate the management for the way they organized it,sales is okay we are doing our best and God will do the rest for us, we wash our hands and sanitize the place immediately a customers leaves. So that we can keep ourselves free of COVID-19.
Mr Lawal Wasiu the Chairman Organizing Committee of the local Xmasfair exihibition, in a chat with newsmen appreciated the ED LITFCMB for making the fair a possibility.
He noted further that all is well on the exhibition ground owing to directives initially given by the board, that they ensure the provision of basic Personal Protective Equipments like nose mask, sanitizers,compliance with the social distancing dictates and more for participants at the fair to ward off the dreaded virus.