Owerri residents are having herculean times trying to adjust to the ban on keke riders in Owerri by the Imo State Government.
They woke up yesterday to see Keke vanish from the streets and roads of the city.
Workers who report to work as early 8am battled to find their way to their various places of work as taxis were not enough to meet up with the high demand for transportation.
Buses increased their fares from the usual N50 naria to N100 naria thus provoking commuters to rain abuses on implementors of the policy.
A commuter who spoke on condition of anonymity described the ban on Keke riders as inhuman and undesirable which shows government’s insensitivity to the plight of the people.
” They demolished Eke Ukwu Owerri market, demolished houses and now banned Keke riders in the face of hardship in the land” he said.
This newspaper observed that a lot of people became stranded and had to walk long distances to catch up with either a taxi or bus.
At major road junctions in the city such has Wethedral/MCC road, Okigwe road roundabout and other places, many people clustered waiting for taxis or buses to either ferry them to their homes or places of their destination.
Traffic gridlock was also noticed on some major roads in the city.
However, this newspaper learnt that the State government has released more taxis and buses to aid in cushioning the effect on the ban on keke.
The Stats government had repeatedly said the ban on Keke is in line with its urban renew programme.