BY CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI—Relief has eventually come the way of Imo residents, following the reopening of commercial banks, unceremoniously closed last week by the state government for allegedly failing to pay tax into its coffers.

Our reporter, who went round Owerri municipality yesterday afternoon, noticed that scores of cash strapped citizens besieged their banks to make hasty withdrawals.
Some customers cursed and made unprintable remarks against the state government for “carefully sentencing us to untold hardship for nearly one week.”

Another customer, who simply identified himself as Ikechukwu, fumed that the economy of the state suffered serious setback while the face-off lasted.
“It is sad that this government decided to shoot itself on its foot. It is sad that the administration failed to fully appreciate that the economy of the state suffered serious set-back while the face-off with the commercial banks lasted,” Ikechukwu said in anger.