In a decisive move to end prolonged market shutdowns and restore economic normalcy, the Anambra State Government has introduced a compulsory attendance register for traders across all markets in the state.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo announced the measure on Thursday at a high-level meeting with market leaders and stakeholders at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Awka, signalling a shift from persuasion to enforcement in the state’s response to Monday sit-at-home compliance.
Under the new policy, line chairmen in each market are to record daily attendance of traders, while Local Government Chairmen will collect the registers every Monday by 10:00 a.m. for monitoring and enforcement. Attendance was also taken at the meeting itself, underscoring the administration’s resolve to ensure compliance at every level.
The directive follows the recent closure of the Onitsha Main Market and mounting concerns over the economic cost of recurring Monday shutdowns, which Soludo said undermine livelihoods without delivering any tangible benefit to the state or the South-East.
Describing the Onitsha Main Market as an eyesore, the governor revealed that his administration is considering a full-scale redevelopment of the commercial hub. Plans under review include demolishing the current structure and rebuilding a modern market with improved facilities, walkways and dedicated motor parks. Soludo disclosed that a redesign proposal submitted over three years ago is now being re-examined.
Beyond infrastructure, the governor focused sharply on security and governance. He recalled leading a delegation of prominent Igbo leaders, including Professor Pat Utomi, to the Kuje Correctional Centre to engage detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, over the sit-at-home order. According to Soludo, Kanu subsequently instructed his lawyers to publicly dissociate him from the directive.
“There is no justification for shutting down markets,” Soludo said, noting that the Onitsha Main Market alone has over 150 security personnel. “You cannot claim to be fighting for the people while destroying their means of survival.”
The governor warned that persistent market closures would no longer be tolerated, stressing that while traders are free to choose whether to open their shops, the government retains the authority to revoke the land on which markets operate if they refuse to conduct business on Mondays.
In a bid to address traders’ safety concerns, Soludo promised increased security deployment across markets, particularly on Mondays. He said security operatives could be stationed in markets for extended periods if necessary to restore confidence.
“Security is not just about guns. It is about will, coordination and mindset,” he said.
The enforcement drive also extends to transport operations. Soludo announced that all motor parks in Anambra must operate on Mondays, warning that any park that defies the directive will be shut down for one week.
In his strongest warning yet, the governor declared that anyone enforcing or encouraging Monday closures is aiding criminal networks linked to Simon Ekpa and other destabilising elements in the South-East.
“Anyone found closing shops or markets on Mondays will be treated as a criminal. Anambra will not harbour criminals,” Soludo said.
He urged traders and residents to report threats, intimidation or suspicious messages to the authorities, assuring them of swift response and protection.
The new attendance register policy marks a turning point in the Soludo administration’s handling of sit-at-home disruptions—combining security guarantees, economic incentives and firm enforcement to reclaim Mondays as regular workdays in Anambra State.
Soludo Enforces Mondays-Open Policy With Attendance Registers in Markets
