The Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the immediate closure of the Onitsha Main Market for an initial period of one week, targeting traders who continue to observe the unauthorized Monday sit-at-home order despite repeated government warnings and appeals for normalcy.
The move is part of broader initiatives, including pro-rata salary deductions for absent civil servants starting February 2026, aimed at fully eradicating the sit-at-home culture and fostering a secure business environment across Anambra State.
The state government had previously directed traders and businesses to operate normally on Mondays as part of efforts to restore economic stability and end the disruption caused by recurring sit-at-home observances.
The shutdown, declared on Monday at the market site in Onitsha, addresses the ongoing defiance that undermines public safety, emboldens criminal elements, and hampers the state’s economic vitality and investment appeal.
Governor Soludo emphasized that failure to resume full operations after the one-week period could lead to an extended closure of up to one month, urging traders to prioritize collective prosperity over coerced inactivity.
“The government cannot stand by while a few individuals willfully undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy. This is plain economic sabotage. We are not going to allow this. The closure is a protective measure for law-abiding citizens,” Soludo stated.
“You either decide that you are going to trade here or you go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” he added, reinforcing the government’s commitment to reclaiming economic control from unlawful influences.
