Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has said the suspension of the weekly sit-at-home in the Southeast is already yielding economic benefits, with commercial activities rebounding and thousands of businesses reopening across the region.
Speaking after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governor disclosed that more than 45,000 shops at the Onitsha Main Market now operate fully on Mondays, signalling renewed confidence among traders and investors.
Soludo attributed the development to intensified security efforts by his administration, noting that over 62 criminal camps have been dismantled in different parts of the state.
He said the improved security environment has encouraged residents, traders and students to resume normal activities at the start of the week.
According to him, the prolonged enforcement of sit-at-home orders linked to the agitation for the release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, inflicted significant economic and social losses on the Southeast, forcing some businesses to relocate and discouraging investment.
He explained that his government adopted a multi-layered security strategy, including the establishment of the Agunechemba vigilante outfit and the deployment of anti-cultism and anti-touting task forces, to restore public confidence and protect communities.
The governor noted that the renewed stability has boosted trading activities, particularly in Onitsha Main Market, one of the largest commercial centres in West Africa, where foot traffic and business transactions have picked up considerably since the return to normal Monday operations.
Soludo added that the state government is also working on plans to upgrade market infrastructure, recover public spaces converted to trading stalls and reposition the market as a major commercial hub in the region.
While clarifying that his meeting with the President was not solely focused on security, he emphasised that maintaining peace and sustaining economic recovery remain central priorities of his administration.
