By Our correspondent
In a bold move to restore economic activities in Anambra State, Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has issued a stern warning to traders: open your shops and markets on Mondays or face severe penalties.
This directive, disclosed by Chief Evarist Uba, Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade and Markets, aims to put an end to the lingering Monday sit-at-home order.
Effective Monday, October 14, 2024, all shops and markets in the state are expected to resume trading and business activities.
According to the statement issued on Friday, October 11, 2024, referenced MCI/SPAD/MKT/VOL.1/6, any shop or market that fails to comply will face penalties.
The statement warned that non-compliant shops or markets will be sealed for one week initially, followed by a one-month sealing if they remain closed, and indefinite sealing and sanctions if they still refuse to open.
Governor Soludo’s decision comes after his inspection tour of the Main Market in Onitsha, where he expressed disappointment over the large number of locked shops and plazas.
He emphasized that the persistent closure of businesses on Mondays harms the local economy, driving customers to seek alternatives in other regions.
The state government has urged traders to take necessary action to avoid penalties, signaling its resolve to enforce this directive.
The statement was copied to the President General of ASMATA, all market chairmen, and the Commissioner for Homeland Affairs.
By issuing this warning, Governor Soludo’s administration seeks to revitalize Anambra’s economy and return normalcy to the state’s commercial activities.
The sit-at-home protests, particularly the Monday sit-at-home order, were imposed by IPOB as a form of civil disobedience, with residents staying indoors and businesses shutting down .
However, in July 2023, Nnamdi Kanu, through his lawyer and IPOB’s publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, cancelled the Monday IPOB sit-at-home order .
But some other group(s) hijacked the exercise.The protests have been marked by violence, with reports of extrajudicial killings, arrests, and human rights abuses .
The Nigerian government has been accused of using excessive force to quell the protests.
The sit-at-home protests have had significant economic and social impacts on the region, with businesses and markets closed, and residents facing hardship.
The recent directive by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to traders to open their shops and markets on Mondays or face penalties is the latest development in the ongoing saga.
