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As Anambra Governor Meets Market Leaders
- Safiu Kehinde
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has held a meeting with the state’s market and line leaders over the Monday sit-at-home order which he claimed was not even observed in Umuahia, the hometown of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
This is coming under the heels of traders’ protest that has strongly met Soludo’s closure of the Onitsha Main Market.
NPO Reported that the Anambra Governor had on Monday paid an unscheduled visit to the market where he discovered that most shops were under lock and keys as the traders were observing the Monday sit-at-home order despite the state government’s lifting of the ban.
In reaction, Soludo imposed one-week ban on all trading activities in the market- a directive which had since sparked outrage from the traders.
Addressing the market leaders during an interactive session on Thursday, the governor reiterated that the Monday sit-at-home will no longer be tolerated.
He maintained that Kanu whom they claimed to be observing the sit-at-home for was never in support of the order with his hometown also not observing it.“The sit-at-home practice has evolved from a political protest into a criminal activity, and it is not in any way linked to Mr Nnamdi Kanu.
“I do not support the sit-at-home order, and it is not even observed in Umuahia, his hometown.
“We will deploy stronger measures to enforce compliance, as many of those enforcing the sit-at-home are not indigenes of Anambra.” He said.
The governor directed that all markets and shops across the state should open for business, specifically on Mondays and all viable days, as part of efforts to revive economic activities.
He told the traders that his government was considering a “renovate or rebuild” option for the facility.
The project, according to him, would either be a redevelopment of the market into a modern trading hub or a comprehensive modernisation of the existing structures.
Responding, the market leaders expressed readiness to comply with the directive but raised concerns about security and logistics.
The Chairman of the Onitsha Main Market, Mr Chijioke Okpalugo, said traders would commence Monday trading in line with the governor’s vision.
He also appealed for improved security presence in markets to ensure the safety of traders and customers.
He further called for the full operation of motor parks to enable the inflow of buyers from within and outside the state, as well as action against those who benefitted from or facilitated the enforcement of the sit-at-home.
However, Soludo assured traders that the state government would overhaul the security architecture around markets to prevent harassment and guarantee the safety of lives and property.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring normal commercial activities across the state.