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We Are Prepared To Commence Monday Operations-Traders
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Request Security Presence, Motor Parks OperationsTo Facilitate Movement Of Traders, Goods
A lawmaker and traders at the Onitsha Main Market have appealed to Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to urgently intervene and order the reopening of the market, following its shutdown by the state government.
The closure, which traders say has dragged on longer than anticipated, has reportedly crippled commercial activities at one of West Africa’s largest markets, leaving thousands of traders without daily income and worsening economic hardship in the area.
Appealing to the Governor on Thursday, during an interactive session between Governor Soludo and market leaders from across the state, they pledged to end compliance with the Monday sit-at-home, declaring their readiness to resume full business activities in line with the directive of the Anambra State Government.
TheMatrix Newspaper reports that the meeting followed the recent closure of the Onitsha Main Market and the prolonged Monday shutdown that has crippled commercial activities in the South-East.
Speaking on behalf of the traders, the Chairman of Onitsha Main Market, Mr. Chijioke Okpalugo, said traders were prepared to commence Monday operations in support of the governor’s vision of a “One Anambra,” but appealed for enhanced security to guarantee the safety of lives and property.
In his remarks, Governor Soludo declared that all markets and shops in Anambra State must remain open on every working day, including Mondays, stressing that the era of sit-at-home-induced market closures was over.
Addressing Onitsha traders specifically, the governor presented a “renovate or rebuild” option for the market, offering either a complete redevelopment into a modern trading hub or a comprehensive overhaul of existing structures.
He insisted that business activities must continue irrespective of the option chosen.
Soludo described the enforcement of the sit-at-home as a criminal enterprise no longer connected to the agitation for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, dismissing claims that the order was linked to the detained IPOB leader.
“It is not linked to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He does not support the sit-at-home. If it doesn’t happen in Umuahia, his hometown, why Onitsha and Nnewi?” the governor asked.
He further alleged that many of those enforcing the sit-at-home were not indigenes of Anambra State and warned that the government would deploy extreme measures if defiance persisted.
In response, market leaders requested a visible and sustained security presence in markets, full operation of motor parks to facilitate the movement of buyers and goods, and decisive action against individuals who benefit from or enforce the sit-at-home order.
The governor assured traders of an overhaul of the state’s security architecture around markets, pledging that Anambra’s commercial centres would be protected from harassment and intimidation.
“Igboland and Anambra will move forward,” Soludo declared.
Similarly, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, urged Soludo to reconsider the closure of Onitsha Main Market, warning that the decision could worsen economic hardship in the state.
Ogene, who represents Ogbaru Federal Constituency, made the call in a statement on Thursday following the state government’s decision to shut the market for one week after traders failed to resume business on Mondays, in defiance of the ban on sit-at-home protests linked to detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
He cautioned that the closure would inflict heavy losses on traders and negatively affect the state’s economy, urging the governor to reopen the market and adopt dialogue rather than sanctions.
According to Ogene, the decision triggered public outrage and protests in Onitsha, leading to a shutdown of the city, a key commercial and transit hub for the South-East and South-South regions.
He said the government should have engaged market leaders and business stakeholders through sustained sensitisation, citing the peaceful Christmas period as evidence of improved security, rather than announcing an abrupt enforcement.
Ogene noted that Onitsha Market reportedly loses about ₦8bn for every Monday it remains closed, warning that a week-long shutdown would worsen losses, damage perishable goods, and undermine confidence among local and international traders.
He therefore called on Soludo to consult widely with stakeholders and consider a phased reopening of the market to ease tension, reduce losses, and restore economic activities in the state.
