Mbah says Enugu loses N10bn to sit-at-home every Monday, encourages traders to open shops

The Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah has estimated that Enugu loses over N10 billion every Monday as indigenes and residents observe sit-at-home.

The observation is coming at a time many traders and residents complained that they were tired of sitting at home as Mbah toured various markets and corporate organisations

Mbah said: “Enough is enough. This foolishness must end and it must end now. We cannot be marginalising ourselves and still complain of marginalisation.”

Some of the traders that spoke to our correspondent about the sit-at-home described it as a plan to slowly kill them and their businesses by the faceless enforcers and organisers.

“Many of us cannot feed our families if we do not go out to look for what to do. We are pleading with the government to release Nnamdi Kanu,” they said.

Mbah toured various parts of the state capital on Monday to monitor compliance and encourage the traders and corporate organisations like banks to disrespect the illegal sit-at-home declared by faceless persons that are working to ensure South East economy is destroyed.

He told the traders that adequate security had been provided, observing that there had not been any incident of attack since the ban on sit-at-home in June.

The governor, who visited Roban Stores at Bisalla Road, Market Square, Shoprite, Zenith Bank at Ogui Road, Celebrities, Ogbete main Market, Garki Awkunanaw Market, Mayor Market, Abakpa Market, and the State Secretariat, among others, warned that any trader, who continues to sit at home from Monday, 24th July may lose his or her shop to serious-minded businessmen.

The governor during the tour took time to interact with business owners, shoppers, traders as well as civil servants at the State Secretariat. He said: “It should never be heard that we were cowed because of the threat of violence by these criminals,” noting that “the poverty that will befall us for sitting at home will kill us even faster.”

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“So, we must say no to sit-at-home because what it means is that we are destroying our employment, our economy, and our GDP. We must erase it from our memories. We should see it as our shameful past, which we do not want to remember. We must put it behind us and forge ahead, ensuring that we work every working day of the week,” he further said.

To the traders at Ogbete, Garki and other markets, he however, warned that locking shops on Mondays would no longer be condoned.

“But you know, there are also consequences for 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.

“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,” he forewarned.

Meanwhile, the market leaders and business owners have assured the governor that they were now ready for full compliance, saying they were already sick and tired of the Monday-sit-at home.

At the meeting with the Ogbete traders, President of Enugu State Amalgamated Traders Association, Stephen Aniagu assured the governor that they had already agreed to commence full business, saying all shops would be open from next Monday.

Also, the leader of Abakpa Nike Market, Bernard Anike assured the governor that they had since started refusing to comply with the ban of sit-at-home.