Developing a Pragmatic Solution: Ending the Weekly Sit-At-home in Nigeria’s South-East Region

Economic analysis reveals that each day of total shutdown of the South East Anambra State alone loses ₦19.6 billion or $47.70 million. In comparison, Ebonyi State is said to lose ₦10 billion or $23.34 million. Overall, there have been thirty-one Mondays to date since 9th August 2021. Besides, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has had court hearings on other days besides Mondays. Thus, the number of such shutdowns in the region would be at least 33 days. Using the estimates above, Anambra would have lost ₦646.8 billion while Ebonyi State lost ₦330 billion. Similar losses in person-hours affect the educational sector in fundamental ways. Schools open for learning for only four days of the week with an obvious possibility of gaps in curriculum coverage, very likely limited preparedness for standardised examinations and even general learning outcomes. Federal and state public service institutions are equally rendered inoperative on such days.

The above development is troubling because people who are willing to return to normal activities in the South-East fear for their safety as persons who purport to implement the sit-at-home attack or rob those who have tried to engage in economic activities on such days. This development increases anxiety and social stress in the region, and their deeply felt disappointment with governance in the country. Moreover, the hardship engendered by every Monday’s sit-at-home resistance is threatening livelihoods and safety. Above all, during the sit-at-home days, state security outfits are largely absent from the various places of economic and administrative activities in a manner reassuring enough to encourage people to return to everyday lives. Hence, in this edition of Nextier SPD Policy Weekly, we discuss the problems occasioned by the imposed sit-at-home protest by IPOB agitators and explore possible exit strategies.

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