Sit-at-Home: Markets, banks remain largely empty despite Soludo’s warnings

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By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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ONITSHA — Major markets, banks and business premises in Onitsha, Anambra State, recorded low commercial activity on Monday despite repeated warnings by Governor Chukwuma Soludo against compliance with the sit-at-home order.

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A visit to key markets, including Onitsha Main Market, Ochanja Market, Marine Modern Market, Ose-Ekwodu Market and Biafra Market, showed that only about 30 per cent of shops were open for business.

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The state government had warned traders against observing the Monday sit-at-home and threatened to seal shops that remained closed, with fines imposed on defaulters.

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However, investigations revealed that some shop owners who did not personally attend their businesses allegedly asked neighbouring traders to open their shops on their behalf to avoid sanctions from government enforcement teams.

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Several commercial banks, filling stations and other business premises also remained closed throughout the day.

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Meanwhile, the President of Building Materials International Market, Ogidi, Chief Jude Nwankwo, and his counterpart at Ogbaru Main Market, Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu, said traders in their respective markets had largely complied with the government’s directive.

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Speaking separately, they claimed that about 98 per cent of traders in their markets now open for business on Mondays.

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According to them, patronage remains low as many customers are reluctant to travel due to security concerns and the scarcity of commercial transportation.

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They said traders who open their shops are provided security by members of the Anambra State Vigilante Group, code-named Operation Udo Ga-Achi and Agunechemba.

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The market leaders also disclosed that their management teams had adopted measures to enforce compliance, including sealing shops that fail to open on Mondays and sanctioning affected traders when they return to the market.

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They expressed optimism that continued enforcement and improved security would gradually restore normal business activities across the state on Mondays.

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