Anambra seals another market over sit-at-home

Anambra State Government on Monday sealed the popular Nkwo-Ogbe Market in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state over traders’ refusal to open shops on Monday because of the sit-at-home in the South-east region.

Confirming the development to reporters, the Chairman of Ihiala Local Government Council, Anayochukwu Ojiako, said that the market would remain closed for one week.

Mr Ojiako explained that the shutting down of the market would send a warning signal to traders, saying that the government had done everything within its powers to end the Monday sit-at-home, which was illegally declared by the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.

According to him, the Nkwo-Ogbe Market is the only market that has blatantly refused to open for business activities on Mondays.

“Other markets like Nkwo-Okija, Uzoigwe market Ubahuekwem, Eke-Agbagba market Uli, Ogbo-Osisi market and a host of other markets opened for commercial activities every Monday except Nkwo-Ogbe market.

“The market leaders have done everything within their capacity to persuade the traders to commence Monday business transactions.

“But their pleas fell on deaf ears as traders refused even when he personally opened the market on Mondays,” he said.

Mr Ojiako stressed that the market would remain closed for the next week because the traders flouted the state government directives.

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra had closed the Onitsha Main Market for one week in January for the same reason.

The Anambra State Government claimed, without providing details, that the sit-at-home costs the state about N8 billion per week.

(NAN)