N19.6b lost every Monday – Anambra lawmakers back Soludo on Onitsha market closure

By Joy Mbachi

Lawmakers in the Anambra House of Assembly has said the state loses a total of N19.6 billion to the Sit-At-Home order initiated by the non-state actors every Monday.

The lawmakers said this while expressing their support for the move by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to stop the observance of the every Monday Sit-At-Home order by Onitsha Main Market traders during their plenary session on Tuesday in Akwa.

Soludo of Anambra, on Monday Jan. 26, closed the Onitsha Main Market following the inability of the traders to comply with the directive to end the sit-at-home.

The lawmakers who also resolved to back the decision of Soludo to close down the market for a week urged the residents to discontinue the Monday sit-at -home exercise forthwith.

Mr Johnbosco Akaegbobi, the Minority Leader, representing Nnewi South 1 constituency, moved the motion calling on Anambra residents to discontinue the Monday sit-at-home forthwith.

Akaegbobi said that the sit-at-home directive had disrupted economic and social activities across the state for years.

He said that Anambra alone reports a loss of about N19.6 billion every Monday.

He said that the Monday sit-at-home was initiated in 2021 by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) to protest the detention of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

He said that the move had evolved into a habitual weekly practice enforced by fear, across the South Eastern region.

Akaegbobi said that the region loses approximately N88.08 billion every Monday.

He added that the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector bore the heaviest burden accounting for roughly 60 per cent of total financial losses.

He said that the micro business loses an estimated N4.6 trillion annually due to recurring closure, while transporters lost between N10 billion to N13 billion daily.

The lawmakers said that the enforced inactivity has led to a 20 per cent decline in annual effective work days and a 35 per cent decline in business productivity of the public and labour sector.

Mr Chuma Okoye, the Deputy Speaker seconded the motion noting that the action was apt.

He said that the decision was for the common good of the people and should not be seen as high handedness.

Okoye expressed worrisome that most religious leaders, residents of Anambra, schools , market leaders, civil and public servants have perceived Monday as an extension of the weekend.

He described their actions as intentionally crippling the economic viability of Monday as the first working day of every week.

Mr Golden Ilo, representing Ihaila 2, said that the traders should see the state government’s action as productive for the various enterprises.

He said that he also expects them to back the governor by complying without further delay.

NAN reports that after deliberations on the motion and support of the majority of the lawmakers, it was resolved that the sit-at-home directive should stop forthwith.

Dr Sometochukwu Udeze, the Speaker of the House, urged the market leaders, religious leaders, schools, civil and public servants, transporters, and SMEs to commence full scale activities forthwith across the state.

(NAN)