Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has defended the ongoing one-week closure of the Onitsha Main Market, warning that similar action could be taken against other markets in the state if they fail to resume business on Mondays.
Addressing journalists at the Light House in Awka, the governor said the decision followed traders’ continued refusal to open on Mondays, despite what he described as significant improvements in security across the state.
He maintained that the closure would remain in force until the stipulated period is completed.
Governor Soludo described the habitual Monday shutdowns, popularly referred to as “sit-at-home,” as economically damaging, arguing that no society can thrive while losing about 20 per cent of its productive days each week.
According to him, the practice undermines livelihoods, education, and the overall development of Anambra and the wider South-East region.
He questioned why the Onitsha Main Market operated fully throughout the Christmas and New Year holidays, including Mondays, only to resume closures afterward.
He also noted that other forms of activity, including meetings, sports, banking services and street trading, continue on Mondays, raising doubts about claims that insecurity is responsible for the market shutdowns.
Security Personnel
governor said more than 150 security personnel are currently deployed to the Main Market alone, saying that streets and smaller markets across Onitsha and other cities remain active on Mondays.
“The selective closure of major markets is deliberate and unsustainable,” he said.
Soludo recalled that the sit-at-home practice began during protests in 2021 but stressed that several stakeholders, including the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), have since publicly opposed the continuation of the shutdowns.
He outlined steps taken by his administration to restore normalcy, including dialogue initiatives, an amnesty programme for youths, and the establishment of committees and support structures aimed at addressing insecurity and social grievances.
He warned that Anambra, one of Nigeria’s largest sub-national economies, cannot afford to operate on a reduced workweek while competing for investment and growth.
“The rest of the world cannot adjust to our calendar,” he said, assuring investors that Anambra remains committed to a full five- or six-day business week.
Issuing a firm warning, the governor said there would be no negotiation on reopening markets on Mondays.
He stated that any market that fails to open could face closure, and that the government is empowered under the Land Use Act to revoke certificates of occupancy in the public interest, with compensation paid where applicable.
He disclosed that a new master plan for the redevelopment of the Main Market has been in place since 2023.
Soludo added that schools, banks, fuel stations and public offices must also operate on Mondays, noting that civil servants who are absent without justification risk salary deductions.
While acknowledging that the measures may be painful, the governor framed them as necessary to protect the economic future of the state.
He called on residents, traders and political actors to put Anambra’s long-term prosperity above short-term interests, insisting that the ongoing enforcement is part of what he described as a broader struggle for the economic stability and future of the state.