Speaking on the closure of markets in the city during the IPOB protests, the Chairman of the Abia State Market Development Committee, ASMDC, Chief Solomon Nwaigwe, said the continued closure of markets during protests would cause suffering to the people of the state and appealed to the protesters to allow markets to open for business.
Discordant views
“I m appealing to the protesters to allow markets open for business because when you close markets, you have shut down the city. They should go about the protests without shutting the markets. Trade and commerce is the major occupation of Aba residents. So, when you shut markets, it is like trying to shut somebody out of his means of livelihood and you know what that means. There are traders and businessmen who only sustain their families from what they make from the markets daily,” he remarked.
In a telephone chat with VF, the Chairman of the Ehere Modern Market, Aba, Mr. Jeremiah Chigozie, said though the traders identified with the protest, he does not support the shutting down of markets in the city.
“The closure of markets is wrong. Once you forcefully close the market, you have caused problems for the traders and their families because their lives depend on their businesses. We are not against the protest but markets should be open for business. Any trader who wishes to join is free, but let the markets be open. When you consider that traders are recording low sales due to the state of the economy, closing markets as a result of the protest is simply an overkill. I appeal to the protesters to think about the cost of closing markets. It is not in the interest of the people.”
Obiano’s intervention averts markets closure in Onitsha
Although major markets in Onitsha were not officially closed due to Governor Willie Obiano’s stern warning that any market which closes in solidarity with the protesters would be shut down for six months by the State Government and their leaders punished accordingly. However, most of the traders voluntarily stayed at home in solidarity with the pro-Biafra group. Those who went to the market and opened their shops soon discovered that there were no customers to buy their wares. This must have prompted them to close their shops as early at 12 noon.
Culled from Vanguard
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