Uphold COVID-19 measures-President Lungu

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Uphold COVID-19 measures-President Lungu
Uphold COVID-19 measures-President Lungu

Africa-PressZambia. President Edgar Lungu has urged market managements and associations to start sensitising traders and members of the general public accessing markets to uphold COVID-19 health guidelines to prevent the further spread of the virus in the country.

President Lungu advised market management to ensure that anyone entering markets is masked-up. President Lungu said this in Kapiri Mposhi district when he distributed face masks and other COVID-19 preventive materials and sensitised traders at Tambalale market on the need to observe COVID-19 health measures.

President Lungu noted that the COVID-19 pandemic was getting more severe considering the rate of infection and number of lives being lost from it in the country.

“Government is concerned that COVID-19 is getting more and more lethal so for us to fight this virus we need to work together with the Ministry of Health and the council to ensure that everyone entering the markets are encouraged to wear face masks and are upholding COVID-19 preventive measures,” President Lungu said.

President Lungu further urged market authorities to make ready COVID-19 preventive materials such as face masks, sanitisers and washing buckets to traders.

The Head of State said government through the Ministry of Health and Local Authorities has intensified the implementation of COVID-19 health measures and provision of vaccines against the viral disease in order to safeguard lives of the people.

And Tambalele Market Chairperson, Lyson Milala thanked President Lungu for distributing face masks and taking time to sensitise traders on COVID-19. Mr Milala further commended government for constructing a modern market in Kapiri Mposhi district.

Mr Milala noted that through the construction of Tambalale market government has provided a conducive trading environment for traders in the district.

“We thank our President for giving us this market because we used to trade on the floor,” Mr Milala said.

Mr Milala assured President Lungu of marketeers’ support in the 2021 general elections because he has delivered to their expectations in the district.

Meanwhile, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator, Chanda Kabwe disclosed that DMMU has secured funding to empower marketeers across the ten provinces in the country to start manufacturing reusable face masks for distribution to members of the public.

Mr Chanda said DMMU has allocated K 5 Million to marketeers in each Province to empower them by venturing into production of reusable face masks. Mr Kabwe has since called on Provincial Permanent Secretaries and Provincial Market Associations’ Coordinators to identify marketeers who have sewing machines to be empowered with funds to start manufacturing face masks.

“The President is very clear that the people in the informal sector are very key to national development so human capital is number one on government’s development agenda so we want to make sure that everyone is not left behind and this is not the first time we are empowering marketeers themselves,” Mr Kabwe said.

President Edgar Lungu was in Kapiri Mposhi today for a day’s working visit. The President who was given a thunderous welcome by Kapiri Mposhi residents arrived at exactly 10:20 hours aboard the Presidential Chopper which landed at Kapiri Mposhi Secondary School grounds.

The Head of State toured Tambalele market and inspected the newly constructed Kapiri Mposhi Bus station before proceeding to Matililyo clinic where he checked on the clinics preparedness to handle COVID-19 cases.

President Lungu was received by Central Province Permanent Secretary, Bernard Chomba, Central Province PF Campaign Chairperson Jayson Mulando and Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator, Chanda Kabwe, District Commissioner, Smart Mwila and other senior Governemnt and PF Party officials.

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