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The Commissioner of Information for Anambra State, Law Mefoh, has said that the state remains safe for business and assured that there is no fear factor associated with the sit-at-home order.
Mefoh made the statement on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, saying the state is safe for business with adequate security.
“Anambra is safe for business, the fear factor is no longer there. Maybe in the past when this sit-at-home started, but now it is no longer an issue,” he said.
“So, there is no further justification for the continued shutdown of markets in Anambra, particularly the Onitsha Main Market, which is arguably the biggest market in the entire West Africa.”
His comment follows the governor’s shutting down of the popular Onitsha Main Market for one week because traders failed to open their shops on Monday.
Speaking further on the governor’s action, the commissioner said, “The Governor and this government have every right to ensure that there is an even running of the state and beyond it also.”
He further explained that though the fear factor led to the closing of the market and even offices every Monday in the past, over time, “the traders now converted Monday into an extension of the weekend, and this in itself is seriously affecting the socio-economic life of the state.”
“In fact, statistics have it that Anambra is losing an average of ₦8 billion every Monday that the market is shut. The government has a responsibility to ensure that the economy is running,” he added.
Sit-At-Home Order
For years, parts of Anambra State have observed a Monday sit-at-home order that disrupted commercial and social activities, leaving markets, schools, and workplaces deserted.
The practice, imposed by non-state actors in the South-East, has been widely criticized for harming the state’s economy, forcing traders, transport workers, and students indoors, especially in hubs like Onitsha.
However, the state government, led by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, has urged residents to go about their lawful activities without fear and to shun the illegal order, which it describes as economic sabotage on the region.
The action follows repeated defiance by traders at the popular Onitsha markets, who failed to open for business on Mondays despite government directives and warnings to disregard the sit-at-home orders by non-state actors.
