By Enalla Mnyenyembe, MANA
Auction Holdings Limited (AHL) has put in place a number of measures to prevent coronavirus infections as this year’s tobacco market season approaches.
Speaking in an interview Monday, spokesperson for AHL, Tereza Ndanga, said AHL Group has put in place a high level task force on the issue of coronavirus to ensure that anyone who will be using the market adheres to it.
“This task force has put in place preventive measures to ensure that everyone who will be using the markets adheres to them and is assisted when infected,” she said.
She added that as for international buyers, they will have to go through the mandatory quarantine that the government is currently enforcing.
“Note that the government has already put in place measures on how the country will handle international visitors especially those coming from hotspot countries,” said Ndanga.
She further said international stakeholders that have already gone through the due process will be allowed access to markets.
“Apart from that, AHL clinics will also be conducting body temperature scans for the critical stakeholders who will be visiting the market and will be taking further action where necessary,” she added.
She said depending on the state of the situation at the time of the opening, and if the president’s ban on gatherings of more than 100 people will still be in place, the task force has made arrangements that only critical personnel will be allowed in the market.
“For the farmer groups, we will allow representation of the clubs to witness the sale and soon after will be asked to leave while our computerized system will determine the exact time one’s tobacco will be on sale,” she explained.
She added that they will place water with chlorine at all entrances so that everyone coming in will have to wash hands.
On when the tobacco market season will open this year, Ndanga said it depends on the regulator for tobacco commission who will determine the time.
