Women Commence Business Activities At Enugu Market

In a total compliance with the cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, women trading at Orie Ugwuogo market in Enugu State, Monday, trooped out in their numbers to transact businesses at the popular foods and beverages market.

Orie Ugwuogo is located in Enugu East Local Government Area. It links other food-rich local government areas, including Isi-Uzo LGA, which houses Eha-Amufu that is blessed with abundant rice, cassava, banana, pineapple, garri, beans, palm oil and bush meat. The market, which also hosts Benue and Ebonyi food dealers, is also the source of foodstuffs for traders at Onitsha and Enugu.

Some of them convey the products to Lagos and Port-Harcourt.

The market had not been operational on Mondays since the declaration of the sit-at-home order by the IPOB on August 9, 2021. However, it hosts business activities every other Orie market day that does not fall on Mondays.

A yam dealer, Mrs Monica Ogwo, told THE WHISTLER that, “We have come out fully because of hunger. My tubers of yams are getting spoilt daily because of the sit-at-home. We are happy that it has been called off.”

A garri seller, Mrs Chinyere Oko, said, “I can’t stay at home again on Mondays. I am a widow, and I know how I sustain my family. So far IPOB has said it is all over, it is over.”

A food dealer, who refused to mention her name, said, “Let the government provide us security here. We have our own security, but we are still feeling that we need more protection.

“People come here on Orie market days because food items are cheaper. The traders are mainly farmers. Middlemen buy from us and re-sell in Enugu, Onitsha and other places. We thank IPOB for their understanding.”

Our correspondent observed that the market was not filled up as usual, but traders were optimistic that businesses on Mondays had commenced fully.