The Anambra State Government has sealed several shops at the Building Materials Market in Ogidi and the Electrical Parts Market in Obosi, both in Idemili North, for two weeks after traders failed to open for business on Monday.
The enforcement followed a monitoring visit led by the Special Adviser to the governor on markets, Evarist Uba, who said the action was necessary to restore economic activity and reinforce Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive mandating markets to operate on Mondays.
Uba commended traders who complied with the directive, particularly those at the Obosi Electrical Parts Market, noting that their decision to open signaled growing confidence in government efforts to stabilise the economy and end the disruption caused by weekly sit-at-home orders.
He explained that about 80 percent of shops at the electrical parts market were open, describing the development as a major shift from the prolonged shutdowns that have hindered commerce across the state.
According to him, the government remains committed to promoting productivity and supporting traders who keep their businesses running.
At the Building Materials Market in Ogidi, authorities sealed shops that remained closed while praising those who complied with the directive.
Uba added that the affected shops would remain sealed for two weeks and would only be reopened after traders demonstrate commitment to operating on Mondays.
He said compliance would help accelerate economic recovery and restore normal commercial activities across the state.
Market leaders, including the Chairman of the Electrical Parts Dealers Association, Obosi, Chike Onunkwo, and the President of the International Building Materials Market, Ogidi, Jude Nwankwo, backed the enforcement exercise and praised the state government’s security measures, stressing the need for traders to support efforts to rebuild the local economy.
Members of the monitoring team included the Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor; Special Adviser on Security, Ben Chiobi; and Press Secretary to the governor, Christian Aburime.
The officials also visited major markets in Nnewi and Onitsha to assess compliance with the government’s directive.
