David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
There were skeletal economic activities in Anambra State yesterday despite repeated directive by the state government to indigenes and residents to ensure that everything returns to normalcy.
The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba, had last weekend in a statement called for full economic activities in the state, reminding all that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had long rescinded its decision to ground the South-east region.
IPOB on its own had through its Media and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Emma Powerful, pledged to go after the enforcers of the previously, but now suspended sit-at-home order.
When THISDAY moved round Awka, the state capital yesterday, it was observed that though there was improvement in the level of economic activities witnessed in previous Mondays, it could, however, not be said to be viable enough as witnessed on other week days.
Banks, markets, motor parks and other business places were seen open for business, but the level of vehicular movement in the town was limited.
Some schools also failed to open for educational activities, just as civil servants were not in their offices, despite threats by the state government.
A visit to Jerome Udoji Secretariat, which houses almost all the state government ministries, showed very minimal activities, as only a few workers were seen there.
A senior civil servant in the ministry of information, who spoke to THISDAY, attributed absence of workers at their duty post to sheer laziness.
“How will they explain their absence form work today? If you look around, you would find that mostly senior civil servants are the ones at work today. So where are the others? Yesterday was Sunday, and the previous day was Saturday, which was also a work-free day, so, what will anyone be doing at home on the first day of the week?” he queried.
IPOB had few months back declared every Monday a day to boycott work-as a means to press the federal government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial. The group, however, called off the exercise after two Mondays, but since then, every Monday in the South-east region the towns are deserted.
