Governor Mbah threatened to close schools, markets and transport units that failed to open for business and academic activities on Monday starting June 5, 2023.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has scheduled Saturday for a consultative meeting with stakeholders of the state over the cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home order by the State Government.
SaharaReporters had reported that Governor Mbah threatened to close schools, markets and transport units that failed to open for business and academic activities on Monday starting June 5, 2023.
The governor had in a public service announcement said that "The above-mentioned bodies and others alike are required to comply with the directive as adequate security measures have been taken to guarantee their safety. Members of the government's taskforce will be moving around to monitor compliance. Any market, transport outlet, or any other body that fails to open for business risks being shut down immediately."
SaharaReporters also reported that despite Governor Mbah’s threat, residents of Enugu city, the State capital, and its environs reinforced the Monday 'illegal sit-at-home'.
It was also reported that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in the State, Frank Nweke Jr, faulted Governor Mbah’s approach to end the Monday sit–at-home order in the state.
Nweke said that Governor Mbah could not decree out the existence of the sit-at-home menace in the state, rather, “A broad-based stakeholder engagement alongside visible improvements in governance and quality of life is critical to earn the trust of the people and, ultimately, elicit voluntary compliance.”
On Thursday, the Enugu State government in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, as a follow-up to the Governor’s cancellation of the sit-at-home order, invited various stakeholders in the state to a town-hall meeting on Saturday June 10th.
The statement read, “Pursuant to the cancellation of the sit-at-home order by the Enugu State Government, effective 5th June, 2023, and as a follow-up to his earlier consultations with various groups, the Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, hereby invites the following stakeholders to a town-hall meeting on the way forward.
“Leaders of the Clergy (CAN, PFN, Bishops, Imams); Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council; leaders of Civil Society Organisations; leaders of transport unions; heads of banks and other financial institutions; heads of security and intelligence agencies; state leaders of Neighbourhood Watch/Forest Guard Groups; vice chancellors, rectors and provosts of tertiary institutions.
“Leaders of Association of Proprietors of Private Schools; representatives of the NUT (Nigeria Union of Teachers); ANCORPS; heads of Radio/Television and other media organisations; students union leaders in tertiary institutions; leaders of NURTW, RTEAN, and Tricycle Riders Association.
“Leaders of non-indigene groups (Hausa, Yoruba, etc.); presidents and secretaries general of motor parks in Enugu State; leaders of Association of Enugu State Town Unions; chairmen of Inter-Party Advisory Council/Conference of Political Parties; market union leaders; executive members of Hotel Owners Association; ALGON and NULGE state leaders.”