By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT: The factional Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Caretake Committee in Rivers State, Hon Sokonte Davies, has called on Governor Nyesom Wike to reopen markets in the State.

Davies, who spoke while receiving a delegation of market women in the State who paid him a visit at the Party Secretariat yesterday, said he is aware of the suffering that traders are going through to maintain their children and wards in these very hard times.

He said the continued lockdown of the markets has become an impediment to the expansion of commerce and trade, both of which have clear impacts on the health of the Rivers economy.

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He noted that inspite of the lockdown which was in force across the country, most states found creative ways of getting their people to maintain social distancing and encouraging them to have access to the marketplace.

The APC advised Governor Wike to heed the cries of the traders and the people, saying there was no need to continue the lockdown of markets at this time.

However, the leader of Market Women Association in the State, Mrs Nonju, earlier, had said that traders were going through challenging times following the continued lockdown of their sources of income.

She said they were at the party Secretariat to appreciate the good effort that party leaders are making to rebuild the APC, saying that the absence of a credible opposition has jeopardized the interest and welfare of Rivers people.