Lockdown: Commercial sex workers, traders, switch to foodstuff business in Delta

From: Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

Following the lockdown order including Dusk to dawn curfew imposed on Deltans by the state Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to Curtail the Spread of Coronavirus Pandemic in the state, Commercial Sex workers in Asaba and its environs have switched to foodstuff business such as garri,melon, Ogbono, tomatoes, eggs and edible oil,among others.
Commercial Sex workers in Asaba, and its environs who spoke to our Correspondent on Sunday, said” We have lost virtually all our Customers, and we are hungry, we cannot travel home since the lockdown, our male Customers are no longer Coming, or Forthcoming, even when we call them on Phone, they will give execuses that no vehicle to come, and we are suffering hence we started selling to feed”.
Also some traders in non food items in Asaba have Switched to foodstuff business as the lockdown imposed persists, especially in major cities in the state, and eventhough it exempted essential workers, the traders in food stuff and medical personnel, the situation hitherto remained terrible
Some of the traders and Commercial Sex workers who Switched to foodstuff business told our Correspondent in Asaba that they Opted for the Foodstuff business to save them and their families from hunger and starvation
One Doris Nwosu, a dealer in Babies materials at the Popular Ogboeogonogo market who now sell garri and Palm oil, said she was frustrated staying at home with her family during the first two weeks of lockdown, adding that she was forced into the new trade by Insufficient food and Money to keep her family going,” infact, nobody told me to start foodstuff business at the temporary markets as hunger was about to send us to early grave like Coronavirus Pandemic we are running from,I am happy doing this garri and Palm oil business because that is what people want at present to cook and eat and has saved me from hunger”
Similarly,Mrs Ngozi Omeleze, a fashion designer in Achalla Ibusa layout said that she started selling sweet potatoes and breadfruit generally Called” Ukwa in Igbo language outside her Compound to assist her husband Care for their family, adding that the lockdown order was a replica of hell fire in Delta state and however believed that the state Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa would soon review the situation and left up the ban
In another development, teenage beggars have returned to the streets of Asaba as this time around go from house to house in adjourning streets during nighfall to beg neighbours for garri among others for their parents to Cook for them in their houses. Some of them who spoke to our Correspondent on Condition of anonymity described the situation they are currently faced with as precarious, adding that they choose to beg not to die of hunger as they manage to feed a day and be encouraged to be drinking water as measures to Cushion hunger before going to bed.