Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, on Monday visited Onitsha Main Market as traders reopened their shops, marking a further decline in adherence to the Monday sit-at-home that has disrupted economic activity across the South-East since 2021.
Commending traders during the visit, Soludo said the resumption of business reflected a collective effort to reclaim the state’s economy.
“Ndi Anambra are taking back their day, their economy, and their future,” the governor said.
He toured key trading areas within the market, including Ose Market, Bright Street, Lagos Line, and Emeka Offor Plaza, in what government officials described as both a symbolic and practical demonstration of the return of commercial activity on Mondays.
Accompanied by senior government officials, the governor met with traders and assured them that the atmosphere of fear previously used to enforce the shutdown had largely subsided.
The Monday sit-at-home order was introduced by separatist groups in 2021 and, despite a subsequent suspension announcement, many traders had continued to stay away from their businesses over concerns about possible intimidation by criminal elements.