By Chidi Nkwopara & Chinonso Alozie

OWERRI—Palpable fear of an imminent epidemic of unimaginable proportion, has gripped residents of Owerri municipality, over the uncleared mountainous refuse along Douglas Road, Owerri.

Some people who spoke to Vanguard yesterday on the issue, lamented over “the inability or unwillingness of the state government to clear the refuse.”

They were particularly irked that government decided to abandon the refuse since the indigenes of Owerri dragged the administration to court, over the planned destruction and relocation of Ekeukwu Owerri to Egbeada, Mbaitoli local government area.

A resident of Owerri who identified himself simply as Ferdinand, described the scene as “a deliberate attempt by Governor Rochas Okorocha to punish the citizenry over the refusal of Owerri people to allow him to destroy Ekeukwu Owerri.”

While warning that “an epidemic of unimaginable proportions can expectedly descend on Owerri any moment from now”, Ferdinand however reasoned that “the only saving grace would be the evacuation of the decaying mountain of refuse”.

Speaking also, a trader in phone accessories, Mr. Kelechi Ibe said “the smelly refuse is extremely bad for human beings.”