In a decisive move to curb what the Anambra State Government has described as economic sabotage, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has ordered the immediate shutdown of Onitsha Main Market.
It was gathered that the closure is for one week.
It was equally gathered that the closure of the market was
in response to the traders’ continued compliance with the illegal Monday
sit-at-home directive.
The directive, announced on Monday, follows weeks of
warnings by the state government to traders, market leaders, and residents to
disengage from the sit-at-home order, which officials say has no lawful backing
and has continued to cripple economic activities across the state.
While the shutdown is for one week, the government is
warning that if the market fails to fully reopen by next Monday, the closure
will be extended to one month, a move that could have far-reaching economic
consequences for traders and supply chains across the South-East and beyond.
“This is no longer about fear or compliance under duress. It
is about restoring law, order, and economic sanity,” a senior government
official said.
Onitsha Main Market serves as a commercial nerve centre for
millions of traders and consumers nationwide.
The state government insists that continued observance of
sit-at-home undermines public safety efforts, emboldens criminal elements, and
projects Anambra as unsafe for business and investment.
The government also issued a stern warning to market unions,
transport operators, and individuals suspected of enforcing or promoting the
sit-at-home order, stating that anyone found aiding or abetting the practice
would face legal and regulatory sanctions.
Security agencies have reportedly been placed on alert to
ensure compliance and protect traders willing to open their shops.
While some traders welcomed the government’s firm stance,
describing it as long overdue, others expressed fear and uncertainty, citing
security concerns and past incidents of violence linked to defiance of
sit-at-home orders.
The Anambra State Government, however, reassured residents
that adequate security measures are being put in place to protect lives and
property, urging traders to cooperate in the interest of collective economic
survival.
As the countdown to next Monday begins, all eyes are now on
Onitsha Main Market—where the decision to reopen or remain shut could shape the
economic direction of Anambra State in the weeks ahead.
Soludo had earlier warned civil servants in the state that
they will not receive salaries if they refuse to come to work on Mondays.
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