ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has warned that any trader who refuses to open his shop for business from next Monday, 24 July 2023, will have his or her shop sealed and given to another serious-minded trader.
Mbah, who gave the warning while addressing the traders in Ogbate Main Market, Enugu, on Monday, as part of his monitoring exercise towards the eradication of Monday sit-at-home in the state, added that strict measures will be put in place.
The Governor, who thanked the traders for turning up at the market today, however, expressed disappointment as many shops did not open for business.
He said: “We don’t have anything like sit-at-home in Enugu. From Monday next week, by 9 am, any shop that is locked will be sealed, and the shop be reallocated to another person. On Monday next week by 9 am, if we meet any shop still locked, we will consider it that the owner does not want to do business. We will reallocate it to another person who is interested.
“We are not supposed to be talking about sit-at-home in Enugu. As traders who know the value of time, you should not follow others to observe sit-at-home.
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“Going forward, you must come to work every day of the working days. When there is public holiday, we will announce it. But it cannot come from an outsider, who will dictate to you when to go to work when to sit at home, when to take a break.”
He urged the traders to be dedicated to their businesses and come out on Mondays for their business, even as he assured them of maximum security.
“We have taken adequate measures to provide security of business, lives and property. So there is no reason you should not be at work. There is no such thing as Monday sit-at-home. It does not exist in Enugu. You should take that to your family. It is major destruction to our economy, society, and social wellbeing. So we must resist it. Erase that completely from your memory,” he added.
The Governor also visited other markets and major shopping malls in the State to monitor compliance of the ban of the illegal Monday sit-at-home in the State.
Adding to what the Governor said, Chief Stephen Aniagu, Chairman of Ogbete Main Market Traders Association (OMATA), said every trader in the Ogbete Market must comply with the Governor’s order, which he described as the final.
READ ALSO: Sit-At-Home: Mbah Urges Enugu Residents To Resume Work, Assures Of Security
He reiterated that anyone who fails to comply as the Governor has ordered will have his shop sealed by the State government.
To this effect, Aniagu said Taskforce, in conjunction with market traders leaders, will be put in place to ensure that people abide by the order from the Governor.
He said: “Mbah is our Governor; he is the person holding the mandate of Enugu. Therefore, we must obey his instruction.”
He added that should the owner of a shop fall sick or travel, his or her salesperson must be around to open the shop, stressing that nobody can trick the government.