Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections Peter Obi has criticized the indiscriminate closure of markets in Onitsha, Anambra state over drug-related offences, calling it an attack on small businesses and economic growth.
Reacting to mixed opinions on his earlier call for the immediate reopening of unaffected markets, Obi reiterated that punishing legitimate traders for the crimes of a few is bad governance.
“When those who have never built or managed businesses are in charge, they take actions that cripple legitimate businesses and stifle economic growth.
This is how we have continued to decline – where governance disregards the realities of everyday Nigerians. The earlier we embrace the fact that small-scale businesses are a critical part of the economy, the better for us as a developing nation,” he stated.
The former Anambra governor compared Nigeria’s policies to Indonesia, where MSMEs contribute over 90% of employment and enjoy government support while lawbreakers face targeted prosecution.
Obi recalled how, as governor, he protected small businesses by securing special loans for MSMEs, setting up a Bank of Industry branch in Anambra, and refusing to ban motorcycle riders despite security concerns.
“Today, entire markets are being shut down because of the actions of a few. You do not cripple an Ogbo Ogwo market and surrounding markets for several days in the name of enforcement. This is not governance; it is economic sabotage.
“Small businesses must be protected—not destroyed—if we truly want to build a productive nation. I respectfully appeal once again that businesses not involved in the sale of fake drugs should not be shut down due to the huge implications of closing businesses that depend on daily profits to survive.
“A one-month closure will cripple many of them. We have witnessed similar situations in the past, where businesses reopened only to find that goods with short shelf lives had expired, resulting in huge losses.
“Additionally, I like to advise that shop owners should be present before any searches are conducted on their premises to ensure transparency and fairness,” he added.