The Enugu State government, under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah, has taken action against businesses in the state that allegedly followed the sit-at-home order issued by a factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa.
According to the governor’s statement, a total of 106 shops and two banks were sealed by officials of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority on Monday. These sealed businesses will remain closed for one week, after which the government will decide whether to reopen them based on specific conditions or sell them off.
The exercise was led by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who clarified that the governor’s intention was not to punish businesses but rather to discourage the observance of sit-at-home orders and instill a spirit of non-compliance among traders.
The SSG said, “In previous announcements to the good people and residents of Enugu State, the government had directed business and shop owners to open for normal businesses on Monday and every work day, or have the defaulting business premises and shops sealed.
“That was exactly what the government did on Monday, July 24, 2023, to enforce its earlier directives.
“All businesses that were sealed shall remain sealed for one week, at the end of which they shall provide their current tax clearance certificates and all other relevant revenue documents to enable the state government to review and consider their formal letters for re-opening.
“Again, all considerations start from Friday, July 28, 2023, at 2pm at the Enugu State Capital Development Authority headquarters.”
Onyia said the sealing of the businesses was not punitive but ownership culture, “where all of us come together to fight the menace of the illegal sit-at-home in the state.
“We are taking it up not because Mbah is in the business of stopping economic growth but to fight those that think they can intimidate us.”
He added that a task force created by the state government would be in the markets next Monday to continue to monitor the situation.
“We saw shops that were not open and we sealed them.
“That is why ECTDA is here and the owners should go through a process to get them reopened,” he said.
