Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has insisted that the ongoing shutdown of the Onitsha Main Market will run its full course, describing the continued observance of Monday sit-at-home by traders as an act that undermines the state’s economy.
The governor confirmed that the market would remain closed for one week as earlier directed, stressing that the sanction would not be relaxed.
He spoke in Awka on Tuesday, where he faulted traders for what he described as selective compliance with the unofficial sit-at-home order.
Soludo expressed surprise that the market reverted to Monday closures shortly after the festive season, noting that traders freely conducted business on Mondays during the Yuletide period.
He accused the traders of acting in bad faith, arguing that the decision to shut the market on Mondays after the holidays amounted to an attempt to distort Anambra’s economic rhythm.
According to him, security concerns could no longer justify the practice.
The governor said his administration had deployed significant security resources to Onitsha, disclosing that more than 150 security personnel were stationed within the Main Market to ensure the safety of traders and customers.
While noting that government offices, streets and other businesses now operate on Mondays across the state, Soludo lamented that major markets remained closed.
He said the development was costing the state huge economic losses, particularly affecting low-income earners who rely on daily trade for survival.
Describing Anambra as one of Nigeria’s strongest commercial hubs, the governor warned that the continued shutdown of markets every Monday was hurting productivity and discouraging investors.
Soludo added that his government had shown restraint for long enough, warning that it could invoke relevant provisions of the Land Use Act if necessary to protect the public interest.
He said a new master plan for the Onitsha Main Market had been prepared since 2023, assuring that the government was committed to restoring confidence among investors and ensuring a full five- or six-day business week in the state.
The governor also outlined steps taken to end the sit-at-home culture, including dialogue with stakeholders, amnesty initiatives for agitators, the creation of a Bureau for Missing Persons and engagements with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, which he said had publicly disassociated itself from the lockdowns.
Soludo described the current closure of the market as a difficult but necessary step, urging the residents and political actors to stop encouraging actions that threaten the state’s economic wellbeing.