How Multi-Million Naira Economic Nerve, Douglas in Imo is neglected
As a popular location at the centre of the Imo state capital, Owerri, the rich potential of Douglas, remains untapped.
Being an economic nerve, it provides daily survival for people of different tribes who have found Imo state as their own home.
Shouts of Concord, Poly, Aba Road,Onitsha is not strange from the area which sees heavy vehicular and human movement due to the major parks there.
Heart of The Capital City
Banks, Tertiary institutions and even the Imo state government house, are situated nearby adding to the beehive of activities on that location.
Amongst the many key agencies situated around Douglas is the Imo state House of Assembly.
To get any product, Douglas is exactly where you would get what you need as small businesses take advantage of the buzzing Douglas road.
Regrettably, such rich potential and massive investment has not meant much to government who continue to allow poor waste management overtake the major market zones.
As a result of this, rainy days leave no pleasant memories for road users and business owners on Douglas road due to the stench from heaps of refuse abandoned on the median strip and drainges.
While there have been promises to turn the place around, not much has been achieved by previous government.
Possible Health Hazard
For a location like Douglas that sees such influx of people, it has become worrisome that the continuous neglect of the unkempt area could constitute a health hazard.
For Steven, a respondent, it has always been a concern especially whenever he sees children eating within the vicinity unaware of the health challenge it poses.
EXCEL BREAKING NEWS observed that residents have acclimatized with the situation and see the living condition around the roads as normal.
“Many Market women live most of their day here,they have been coping with the situation especially as solution looks far” a trader confided in this newspaper.
It was also gathered that residents and shop owners often rely on the monthly environmental sanitation to rid the drainage system of the plastics and other waste blocking it.
Effort of GOVERNMENT
The Imo State government under the new governor, Emeka Ihedioha had earlier promised to transform the state from being one of the dirtiest to one of the nearest in Nigeria. Imo state had before now been awarded the cleanest in Nigeria but times and neglect has seen it go deeper into being one of the dirtiest.
In 2018, the Imo state government under former governor Rochas Okorocha presented a total sum of N214,641,699,585 for capital budget representing 77.54 per cent and N62,176,372,227 for recurrent expenditure.
It was tagged “Budget of Consolidation.
Over five months after, the environmental situation remains the same .
