The Anambra State Government has directed all schools across the state to resume full academic activities on Mondays, warning that any institution that fails to comply will be shut down.

The directive applies to all categories of schools, including public, private, mission, and returned schools. The Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, said the instruction was issued by Governor Chukwuma Soludo and formally communicated to school proprietors through an official circular.

According to her, compliance is mandatory, and schools that remain closed on Mondays risk immediate closure. She stressed that the government would not tolerate any breach of the directive, noting that the order was part of efforts to restore normal academic schedules across the state.

In a related development, Governor Soludo stated that his administration has the legal authority to reclaim the land on which the Onitsha Main Market is situated for other public uses, including the construction of a school. He made the clarification during a meeting with leaders of the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA.

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The governor explained that existing laws empower the state to repossess land allocated for public purposes and redirect it when necessary. He said compensation would be paid to affected landholders, adding that while individuals could challenge the amount offered in court, the revocation itself could not be reversed.

At the meeting held at the International Conference Centre in Awka, Soludo also instructed local government officials to monitor trading activities at the Onitsha Main Market from 10 a.m. on every market day, including Mondays. Officials are to identify shops that remain closed and submit reports, with sanctions ranging from fines to permanent closure or revocation of shop ownership.

The governor assured traders that security around the market would be strengthened to address safety concerns and encourage a return to normal business operations.

He further revealed that plans to modernise the Onitsha Main Market were initiated in 2023, with proposals to remove illegal structures and shanties and transform the area into a modern commercial hub. The project was delayed due to the absence of a comprehensive relocation plan for traders.

Soludo said the redesigned market would feature modern facilities befitting its reputation as the largest market in West Africa, describing the project as an investment for both present traders and future generations.

A follow-up meeting with all market leaders has been scheduled for Friday, January 30, at the Light House, New Government House, Awka, to discuss reopening arrangements or a temporary closure to allow modernisation work to begin.