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Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, visited the main market, Onitsha in what was seen as a symbolic and practical declaration that the state is open for business, on Mondays.
He visited the various trading zones, including: Ose Market, Bright Street, Lagos Line, Emeka Offor Plaza, among other places, thus signaling an end to the sit at home that had crippled the South-East economy since 2021.
Accompanied by key government officials, Soludo discussed with traders, assuring that the fear factor used to enforce the shutdown had faded and died.
The Monday sit-at-home was originally initiated by separatist groups in 2021. While the groups have since issued various cancellations, “ghost-town” Mondays persisted due to fear of enforcement by rogue elements.
“Ndi Anambra are taking back their day, their economy, and their future,” Governor Soludo told a gathering of traders.
Banks and markets in Umuahia, Abia State capital, opened for business on Monday but recorded low number of customers.
Also government offices at the State Secretariat in Umuahia were opened for work, but many workers stayed at home.
Our correspondent, who moved round Umuahia, observed that markets located at Isi Gate and Orie Ugba were open. However, few traders and customers were around.
At Ohafia, one of the largest towns in Abia State, there was total lockdown as residents observed the sit-at-home with banks, shops and motor parks closed.
Read Also: Sit-At-Home: Non-Member Cannot Speak For IPOB – Powerful
In Aba, major markets in the city including Ariaria, Ahia Ohuru and Shopping Centre, did not open in the morning. Banks in the commercial city were also closed in the morning.
There was no report of violence at the time of filing this report. Security operatives were seen patrolling major cities and towns in the state.
Read Also: Soludo Takes Over Onitsha Market As IPOB Declares Sit-At-Home
Onitsha Main Market was closed for a week by Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, following the traders’ non-compliance with his ban on the observance of the Monday sit-at-home in the state.
IPOB kicked against the development and told the traders to open their shops regardless of the governor’s order. But Soludo enforced the closure by deploying armoured tanks and heavily armed security agents to the market.
In response to the development, IPOB, in a statement by spokesman, Emma Powerful, ordered a sit-at-home across the South-East on Monday, February 2, to show solidarity with the Onitsha Main Market traders.
