By CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE

The observance of sit-at-home directive/practice, which paralysed economic, educative, and bureaucratic activities in the South-East may have come to the end at Idemili North Local Government Area Headquarters, Anambra State.

Until Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State, wielded the big stick by closing markets that failed to open on Mondays and deducting huge chunks of money from the salaries of civil servants who stayed at home on Mondays, his directive that schools, offices, and markets should open on Mondays was obeyed in the breach.

But yesterday, Monday, March 2, 2026, the headquarters of Idemili North LGA, which is located at Ogidi, was a beehive of activities, as government workers were seen in many different offices carrying out their respective duties.

A great number of the workers, who are employees of the Anambra State Government, spoke to this reporter on the abolished sit-at-home practice in Anambra state.

Mrs. Charity Emekakwue, who works at the identification unit at Idemili North LGA Headquarters, Ogidi, exuded joy because of the non-observance of the sit-at-home directive at their Ogidi office.

She expressed the hope that the re-commencement of economic activities in Anambra state on Mondays would increase the volume of trade in the state, which would led to the betterment of the state’s economy.

“The abolition of the sit-at-home practice in Anambra state would increase the volume of trade in the state, which in turn would boost Anambra state’s economy,” Emekekwue said.

And Mrs. Ginika Agom, who is the Chief Confidential Secretary in the Administrative Unit at Idemili North LGA Headquarters, Ogidi, begged Gov. Soludu to increase the workers’ salaries as they would start spending more money on transportation than before now owing to the fact that the number of work days in Anambra state had returned to five days.

“We used to observe sit-at-home in Anambra for years, and worked for four days in a week.

“But Gov. Soludu has abolished it; so the number of days on which we go to work in a week has increased to five days.

“Consequently, we will start to spend more money on transportation in each week.

“I am therefore begging Gov. Soludu to increase the workers’ salaries so as to reduce their economic hardship,” Agom said.

More so, Uchenna Eze, who is an information officer attached to Idemili North LGA Headquarters, Ogidi, stated that a great number of Idemili North LGA workers had started going to work on Mondays, which is a proof of the obliteration of the sit-at-home practice in Anambra state.

He allayed their fears regarding the protection and safety of their lives, saying that Anambra state is safe and secure, now.

The stark fact is that Monday has regained its place as the first work day in Anambra state following Gov. Soludu’s execution of measures to abolish the sit-at-home directive and practice emplaced in the entire southeast by Biafra separatists.

•Okoye is a poet and civil servant.

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