Markets in Enugu stayed shut on Friday as President Goodluck Jonathan visited the coal city state to attend the unity rally by the Peoples Democratic Party in the South East zone.
A News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who monitored the compliance with the directive of the Enugu State Market Amalgamated Traders Association reports that Ogbete, Timber and Kenyatta markets as well as the spare parts market in Coal Camp were shut.
At the Mayor Market on Agbani Road, however, business went on as usual, with its normal vehicular logjam.
Some of the traders who spoke with NAN expressed mixed feelings about the closure of the markets as some of them sat beside their closed shops waiting for customers.
Charles Ude, a patent medicine dealer at Ogbete Market, said the directive was a welcome one to enable the people to accord the President a befitting welcome.
Ude said: “It is good that we give our President the respect of closing our businesses because he does not visit every day, month or every year.
“Again, the President has been good to the people of the South East in terms of appointments, provision of infrastructure, the upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport to international status and the commencement of the Second Niger Bridge among other things.”
Another trader, Amaka Chime, said: “I am very happy with the development as it will forestall any form of rowdiness between traders and security operatives who will be trying to do stop and search at many checkpoints.
“Not doing business today will not kill us or change our financial status.
“I do not know why people complain about everything even when it is in their own interest.”
Innocent Obianozie, who sells motor accessories, disagreed with the directive, saying that some daily income earners would be badly affected.
Obianozie said: “Do you know that many people you see in the market depend on what they get each day to feed their families?
“What of somebody that is sick?
“Where and how do you go about it?
“What of traders who come from other towns and states?
“The closure is not all about traders in Enugu alone.
“So next time, they should put all these things into consideration before giving such a directive.
“We all love the President.
“He is our son and has done so much for us.”
Some of the traders, who were hanging around their shops, said they were waiting for Jonathan to leave the state so they could open their shops for business.
The President of Enugu State Market Amalgamated Traders Association, Temple Ude, had directed all markets in Enugu to close shop on Friday to enable the traders to accord Jonathan a befitting welcome.
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