By Doreen Chembe

Local Government Minister Charles Banda has emphasised the need for cleanliess in markets countrywide amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Minister has since directed market chairpersons to help in sensitisation and keeping the trading places clean.

Mr Banda was saying this when he received a K40,000 and K60, 000 worth cleaning material from WWF and Zambia Breweries respectively.

This was during a routing cleaning exercise at Munyaule Market

Among the donated items were chemicals, Knap sack sprayers, PPEs, Gum boots, gloves, overalls, goggles, masks by Zambia Breweries and
500 disposable masks, 20 pairs gloves, 10 boxes of 12 tablets detol,
10 sanitizers hygienix, 60 bottles chlorine, 1 16ltr sprayer, 10 bins 120ltrs, 2 hand sprayers and 1ltr
10 boxes of 12 jik
donated by WWF.

Banda said everyone should oblige to the Presidential directive and maintain cleanliness in the wake of the COVID 19.

Banda said markets are always busy because they trade from these places almost the whole day.

He said it is government’s responsibility to remind the traders to keep the markets and trading places clean.

And World Wide Fund (WWF) has donated K45,000 towards the fight against COVID 19.

WWF Country Director Nachilala Nkombo maintained that a healthy environment is a prerequisite for a healthy population and also a healthy economy.

Nkombo added that COVID -19 has just reminded people to focus on taking care of the environment.

“…By so doing, our health and the economy is protected,” she said.

Nkombo added that her organisation is also participating in the general sensitisation of the public on the dangers of the disease.

She said they donated 12 bins as a start up for the cleaning exercise and will continue with the rural areas as well.

And Zambia Breweries Country Director Jose Moran told Zambians to adhere to the Presidential directive to keep social distancing, washing of hands regularly, maintaining cleanliness and face masking.
Moran urged people to even sacrifice if possible to safeguard the many lives of the people in the nation.

He said in few days time, his company will start manufacturing handy sanitizers as a way to maintain the availability of the commodity on the market.