Bulldozers roar and traders cry

ROADSIDE petty traders and owners of illegal/ unapproved structures at the ever- busy Assumpta Cathedral junction, popularly known as Control Post, Onitsha Road and environs in Owerri, wept profusely yesterday as bulldozers descended on their illegal structures, pulling them down on the instructions of the state government.

Some parts of the city had had their own share of the same exercise. The governor of the state, Chief Rochas Okorocha, had on Friday in an unscheduled visit to the area, warned the traders and business people, including bus operators who allegedly converted the area to their motor park, to relocate on their own to approved and designated places for such businesses.

Okorocha who regretted that they had defaced the city by refusing to relocate their businesses, gave them till Monday, July 13, to relocate to the Relief Market and other parks in the city.

He stressed that they should not mistake his silence as weakness in returning the city to its clean position.

Consequently, many owners of shops and makeshift shanties went down in tears as they witnessed the bulldozers brought down their structures and wares as early as 6:00 a.m.

One of the affected traders, Okechukwu, who spoke with The Guardian on the destruction said: “This is too bad. But we cast our votes for him. We did not know we were going to witness this. We would have changed our mind. My dependants and I feed from my sales here. I operate a beer parlour business here and they have pulled it down. I don’t know where to go now.”

Okorocha had also decried the poor sanitary condition of the city, accusing the illegal operators and street traders as culpable. About a week ago, he directed that henceforth, every last Saturday of the month must be observed as clean up exercise day between the hours of 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

He directed that only those on essential duties would be allowed to move within the hours.

Offenders, he said, would be arrested, adding that they would face mobile court prosecution.