The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Benjamen Kalu, says the South-East region has suffered a loss of approximately N4 trillion due to the sit-at-home problem over the past two years.
According to him, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) introduced a sit-at-home order in August 2021 as a means of putting pressure on the federal government to release its leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for alleged treasonable felony and terrorism.
Since then, Mondays have become compulsory no-work-day holidays in the south-eastern states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Enugu.
Apart from Mondays, IPOB also declared any day Mr. Kanu appears in court a sit-at-home day. It could also declare any day a sit-at-home day anytime it deems fit.
Initially, citizens adhered to the sit-at-home order in solidarity with the cause. However, the subsequent hardships and deprivation, coupled with the significant economic toll on businesses, individuals, and households over an extended period, led to mounting concerns.
Some governor in the SE and the new army chief declared that the move will no longer be tolerated.
Driven away potential investors
Speaking at the “All Markets Conference 2023” in Lagos, Kalu highlighted how this situation has driven away potential investors from the South-East.
He identified the current insecurity and stay-at-home problem as existential threats to Igbo entrepreneurship and businesses. Kalu warned that these issues have become deeply ingrained, causing significant damage to the collective prosperity of the Igbo people.
The Deputy Speaker underscored the importance of finding lasting solutions to the security issues in Igboland, emphasising that this not only affects businesses within the Southeast but also disrupts the supply chain, impacting Igbo businesses across Nigeria.
Kalu urged Igbos to confront these challenges collectively, using innovative strategies to preserve their entrepreneurial endeavors.
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