IPOB’s sit-at-home: Enugu governor threatens traders who fail to open their shops
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has again threatened to revoke shops in various markets in the state if the owners in obedience to the sit-at-home order fail to open their shops on Mondays.
The sit-at-home order is being enforced by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Mbah stated this on Monday when he visited Ogbete Main Market in Enugu while monitoring the effectiveness of a ban he placed on the sit-at-home order in the state.
The governor had, in June, banned the Monday sit-at-home in the state, explaining that the civil action was killing the “spirit of entrepreneurship, commerce and creativity” of Igbo people in the South-east region.
He had, earlier this month, ordered all public servants and political office holders in the state to begin reporting to their places of work on Monday or face sanctions.
Within the same week, he equally threatened to shut schools and markets that observe the civil action in the state.
However, reports that the civil action has continued to hold in the state despite the ban by the governor.
Apparently angered by the continued observance of the illegal order, the governor, on Monday, warned that, from next week, he would begin revoking shops whose owners fail to open for business on Mondays.
“But you know, there are also consequences for (people) not heeding our orders. Going forward, I want to put you on notice. I will go around the state again on Monday next week.
“We are going to come with the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority to put a seal on any shop that is found locked on Monday because of the illegal sit-at-home. We will take it that you are not ready to do business,” he said.
“We are going to revoke your licence to operate. We will revoke your shop title and reallocate it to someone else, who is ready to do business. This is something we must enforce with effect from Monday next week,” Mr Mbah added.
Mbah decried the impact of the sit-at-home order on businesses and the economy of the South-east. He urged residents of the state to ignore the illegal order.
“We are losing over N10 billion every Monday that we sit at home. Enough is enough. This foolishness must end now.
“We cannot be marginalising ourselves and still complain of marginalisation. We must say no to sit-at-home because what it means is that we are destroying our employment, our economy and our Gross Domestic Product,” he said.
Meeting with business communities
The governor, who met with some market leaders at the state secretariat Enugu, assured the business people that his administration would continue to provide adequate security on Mondays.
Responding, the market leaders pledged to cooperate with the governor by shunning the civil action on Mondays.
Stephen Aniagu, the president of Enugu State Amalgamated Traders Association, told the governor that entrepreneurs in the state had agreed to begin reopening their businesses from next Monday.
A leader in Abakpa Nike Market, Bernard Anike, said traders in the market had started complying with the ban on the sit-at-home order.
