Please permit me a space in your widely read newspaper to register my feelings with regard to the pressing issue of sanity in Owerri metropolis, the capital city of Imo State.

I must first appreciate the obvious efforts of our indefatigable governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to transform Imo state far beyond what it was before his inception in May, 2011. The problem of traffic in Owerri has been remarkably dealt with as he has opened up alternative routs to fast track movements in the city. Our governor has created numerous roads within the city as by-pass from the crazy traffic jam that held Imolites to ransom a few months back. He has also given the state some esthetic touch with the functional street lights in major streets like Wetheral road and the ongoing construction and beautification of roundabouts in the state. Bravo, our rescue governor.

Meanwhile, as one looks at these efforts, there is a clear indication that Owerri has turned into a city with wonderful structures but lacking sanity and serenity. One major area where this is very clear is the number of illegal motor parks which indirectly contribute to halting movements along major streets in town. One area which has almost turned into Onitsha main market or Ariaria Aba by its crazy touting activities today is the Control Post around Assumpta Cathedral. The unchecked activities of commercial vehicles at the Control Post now leave much to be desired of the efforts of the governor and his lieutenants. These drivers and their rampaging conductors block the expressway leading to Onitsha road, Portharcourt road and spill over to the World Bank road completely obstructing vehicular movements. The entrance to Trendys Fast foods towards World Bank area has simply  turned into a den of touts. These flagrantly pursue travelers from any part of the roundabout crossing the roads irresponsibly without minding whether cars are coming or not. They litter pieces and sachets of any and every consumable object in these places making the Control Post more or less like an official site for refuse dump or an asylum.

One irony about this is that there is a police check that goes on at exactly the front of these illegal parks and sinister activities. Not only that, the army is constantly stationed at strategic spots at the Control Post roundabout and pretends not to notice the madness that goes on in the area. The most agonizing part of the whole tragedy is the activities of ISTHMA men who often harass private motorists and intimidate them for their so called illegal dropping of passengers. While commercial taxi and busses completely block the roads, at the same time loading their passengers without qualms, one unlucky private car owner stops for a few seconds for a person inside the car to alight while the engine is not turned off, the constant embarrassment is for the so called ISTHMA officials to scamper around the person accusing him of stopping and dropping passengers illegally on unauthosized place. One is forced to believe that the Police and Army as well as ISTHMA are properly and clandestinely settled much earlier in the day to allow the commercial bus and taxi operators do their notorious business in the day. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to reconcile what happens at the Control Post with the ongoing structural development in Owerri metropolis. Mr. Governor should take a closer look at the level of insanity, indecency and lawlessness which have completely taken over the entire streets of Owerri. Control Post is only an instance of what obtains in other places. The question is, “Does structure without sanity make any meaning to the much purported rescue mission?”

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