BY CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI— Economic activities again suffered setback, yesterday, in Owerri, ImoState capital, as scores of physically challenged persons blocked the ever busy Library Roundabout to protest what they called gross deceit of the citizens by the Rochas Okorocha administration.

Vehicular traffic equally halted for several hours, while most civil servants and other commuters were forced to trek to their respective homes at the close of the day’s business.

Yesterday’s protest came on the heels of the reopening of commercial banks forcibly shut by the state government for allegedly failing to pay withholding tax.

The effect of the road block stretched from the Library Roundabout to Port Harcourt Road, Onitsha Road, Okigwe Road, Wetheral Road and Douglas Road.

Some of the placards carried by the protesters read: “We are tired of Okorocha’s deceit”, “We are tired of Okorocha’s many disappointments”, “We want jobs for our qualified members” and “Reinstate our Patron, Sir Jude Agbaso.”

They sang anti-government songs, even as they vowed that they “will never be fooled again by anybody or group that does not mean to improve the welfare of the citizens.”

One of the protesters, who simply gave his name as Stanley, lamented that the subventions which previous administrations used to give to their group had inexplicably been stopped by Okorocha.

Vanguard recalls that Owerri has become a home for both pro-government and anti government protesters in the past six months.

As at the last count, the physically challenged had protested for about four times.

However, officers and men of the state police command where on ground to ensure that the peaceful protest was not hijacked by hoodlums.

At press time, no government official was ready to explain why the physically challenged were back on the streets of Owerri to press for the welfare.