Written by Vincent Ujumadu
The Anambra State administration has warned that failure to comply could lead to temporary market closures and has instructed traders in 12 more markets to resume full business operations on Mondays.
The instruction comes after the state halted Onitsha Main Market for a week on Tuesday because vendors refused to open on Mondays. The administration claimed that this action disrupted economic activity.
Ochanja Central Market, Bridgehead Market, Ogbaru Main Market, Building Materials Market Ogidi, Agba-Edo Auto Spare Parts Market Nnewi, New Auto and Motorcycle Spare Parts Market Nnewi, Fairly Used Motorcycle Spare Parts Market Nnewi, New Auto Spare Parts Market Nkpor, Nkpor Main Market, Old Mercedes Benz Spare Parts Dealers Market Nkpor, Old Motor Spare Parts Market Obosi, and Electrical Dealers International Market, Obosi are among the newly impacted markets.
Chief Evarist Uba, the Governor’s Special Advisor on Trade and Markets, signed a circular announcing the “Abolishment of Monday Sit-at-Home.” Leaders of significant markets within the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) were the target audience.
In accordance with Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s executive order intended to restore regular economic activity in the state, market chairmen were directed to remind traders to open for business on Mondays. Random inspections by government monitoring teams are anticipated, and markets that are found to be noncompliant may be temporarily closed for a month.
Government representatives will seal any store that is closed, and the owner may
The circular said, “Any market found to be noncompliant will be closed for one month.”
In the meanwhile, on Thursday, January 29, at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Awka, Governor Soludo has arranged a meeting with market leaders to talk about market operations and the Monday sit-at-home policy. Chairmen, secretaries, zonal leaders, and line chairpersons from marketplaces throughout the state will be present at the meeting.
The government explained that the meeting was not in response to the traders’ protest on Tuesday, but rather was called by some market leaders who were pleading for the reopening of Onitsha Main Market.
A government source claims that in order to avoid interference, security would be increased during the meeting.
