Commercial activity in Anambra State faced renewed disruption on Monday after the state government ordered the closure of Onitsha Main Market, signalling a tougher approach to enforcing normal economic activity at the start of the week.
The decision was announced by the state government following what it described as the continued observance of a Monday “sit-at-home”, which it said was undermining economic life in the state. In a statement, the government said it had resolved to act against individuals and groups accused of sustaining the practice.
“Following the protracted economic sabotage cloaked as ‘Monday sit at home’, the Anambra State government has moved in to crack down on all who aid and abet it,” the statement said.
According to the government, the closure of Onitsha Main Market will initially last for one week. It warned that if trading does not resume by the following Monday, the shutdown would be extended to one month.
The move comes despite an earlier directive by Governor Chukwuma Soludo that public servants who fail to report for work on Mondays would forfeit their salaries. However, as of Monday, several schools and offices across the state were still not operating.
Onitsha Main Market is one of the largest commercial hubs in the South-East, and its closure is expected to have significant implications for traders and supply chains within and beyond the state. The government did not indicate when further updates on the enforcement measures would be issued.
