http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/owerri-stands-still-nba/

Traffic virtually ground to a halt Monday in Owerri, Imo State capital at the commencement of the 54th Annual General Conference, AGC, of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.
Citizens woke up and found out that government had ordered the closure of all major roads leading to the International Conference Centre venue of the conference.
Scores of security personnel drawn from the various agencies had a hectic time controlling traffic in the municipality, as vehicles crawled for hours to get out of the city.
Some citizens, who spoke to our correspondent, expressed shock that government closed some major roads without previously preparing the minds of the people.
“Welcoming members of the NBA is not a sin, but sentencing commuters to untold hardship is not a blessing”, Mazi Ikenna Nze said.

At the conference venue, health officials and security personnel were busy frisking and checking all persons for the dreaded Ebola virus and lethal weapons.
Speaking Imo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Chukwuma-Machukwu Umeh, SAN, said that insecurity, militancy, insurgency and kidnapping have become daily nightmares to Nigerians.
“We have a duty to critically study the ugly situations and make concrete suggestions to the governments”, the Attorney General said.
Some of the dignitaries that graced the event includes Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Governor Rochas Okorocha, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambowal and Chief Emeka Ihedioha respectively, state chief judges and a host of lawyers.

Rochas failed woefully in the siting of the international convention center.

Because he always wants undue attention to his projects which are often sub par,he ended blocking the major thoroughfare in Owerri and exposing the poor road network of the town.

eaglechild: Rochas failed woefully in the citing of the international convention center.

Because he always wants undue attention to his projects which are often sub par,he ended blocking the major thoroughfare in Owerri and exposing the poor road network of the town.

I smell hate and nothing else. Rochas shaming PDP since 2011.

cooltone:
I smell hate and nothing else. Rochas shaming PDP since 2011.

Do not get me wrong the centre is not bad.
However, the location is a disaster. The warehouse roundabout is the wrongest place to site such a project.
It would have been better in new Owerri axis. Considering the lack of alternative routes in the city.

Owerri is going to be on a traffic lockdown for about a week.
Thanks to poor planning by the builders.

eaglechild:
Do not get me wrong the centre is not bad.
However, the location is a disaster. The warehouse roundabout is the wrongest place to site such a project.
It would have been better in new Owerri axis. Considering the lack of alternative routes in the city.

Owerri is going to be on a traffic lockdown for about a week.
Thanks to poor planning by the builders.

Please make sensible and constructive criticism. Why are the international conference centers in Abuja, Lagos, PH, Enugu, Onitsha built where it could be easily accessed ? Where the Imo International Conference Center is built is not a high density area.

Below are pictures of Imo Conference Center

Patience Jonathans visit has been causing gridlock across Nigeria and I've never read where a Governor was blamed for the menace. Things like this is expected as roads were blocked on the opening day of the conference.

Congratulations to Ala Owerri for finally hosting the conference against all odds including false ebola scare, false bomb scare and hundreds of petitions from PDP.

OP you didn't mention that hand sanitizers were stationed at several points within the premises and security personnel kept urging people to please sanitize their hands. I think that's another good step in the right direction.

RareDiamond:

Please make sensible and constructive criticism. Why are the international conference centers in Abuja, Lagos, PH, Enugu, Onitsha built where it could be easily accessed ? Where the Imo International Conference Center is built is not a high density area.

Below are pictures of Imo Conference Center

Did you listen to the peoples' assembly topic on hot FM this morning?

It talked about the complete shut down of Owerri town due to the use of that centre.

Such centres are better sited at the outskirts of the town.

The road network in Enugu and its general layout accommodates for its location.

The Imo ICC is poorly sited.

Op, so what do u want us or the lawyers to do now?
After one week, everything goes back to normal.
Let's leave politics from this, rochas will come and go, imo state remains.

eaglechild:
Did you listen to the peoples' assembly topic on hot FM this morning?

It talked about the complete shut down of Owerri town due to the use of that centre.

Such centre are better sited at the outskirts of the town.

The road network in Enugu and its general layout accommodates for its location.

The Imo ICC is poorly sited.

THE Conference center in Enugu and Onitsha are poorly sited also. Imo state have good and beautiful road network. If Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Onitsha and PH host a conference of this magnitude their would be hold up. If the conference center in Victoria Island Lagos host half of this NBA conference, the whole of V.I, Ikoyi, Lekki, CMS, Obalende, Onikan, Lagos Island would be completely blocked.

THE ROADS LEADING TO THE IMO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER WHERE THE NBA CONFERENCE IS HOLDING WAS CLOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT DUE TO THE SECURITY SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY. IF NOT FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE ROADS, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE ROADS IN THE IMO ICC AREA ARE WIDE BEAUTIFULLY DUALIZED ROADS AND THE AREA IS NOT WELL POPULATED

RareDiamond:

THE Conference center in Enugu and Onitsha are poorly sited also. Imo state have good and beautiful road network. If Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Onitsha and PH host a conference of this magnitude their would be hold up. If the conference center in Victoria Island Lagos host half of this NBA conference, the whole of V.I, Ikoyi, Lekki, CMS, Obalende, Onikan, Lagos Island would be completely blocked.

THE ROADS LEADING TO THE IMO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER WHERE THE NBA CONFERENCE IS HOLDING WAS CLOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT DUE TO THE SECURITY SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY. IF NOT FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE ROADS, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE ROADS IN THE IMO ICC AREA ARE WIDE BEAUTIFULLY DUALIZED ROADS AND THE AREA IS NOT WELL POPULATED

The traffic problem has persisted even today.

Remember it is an ICC that is meant to host different dignitaries from time to time, are you saying each time it is used then Owerri will shut down.
Two wrongs do not make a right.
The Enugu ICC is still better positioned because there are many alternate routes, unlike Owerri.

I do not know why a glaring honest observation is seen as an affront to Rochas.

ketoprofen: Op, so what do u want us or the lawyers to do now?
After one week, everything goes back to normal.
Let's leave politics from this, rochas will come and go, imo state remains.

It is not about lawyers.

Each time that ICC is in use, Owerri literally grinds to a halt.

Conference enjoyment while Owerri decays

Control Owerri

eaglechild:
The traffic problem has persisted even today.

Remember it is an ICC that is meant to host different dignitaries from time to time, are you saying each time it is used then Owerri will shut down.
Two wrongs do not make a right.
The Enugu ICC is still better positioned because there are many alternate routes, unlike Owerri.

I do not know why a glaring honest observation is seen as an affront to Rochas.

YOUR BACKWARD ENUGU SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT TO OUR DISCUSSION. IMO STATE IS THE IGBO HEARTLAND. WAWA IGALA BOYS LIKE YOU SHOULD KEEP OFF !!! THE ROADS LEADING TO THE IMO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER WHERE THE NBA CONFERENCE IS HOLDING WAS CLOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT DUE TO THE SECURITY SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY. IF NOT FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE ROADS, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE ROADS IN THE IMO ICC AREA ARE WIDE BEAUTIFULLY DUALIZED ROADS AND THE AREA IS NOT WELL POPULATED

ROCHAS WOULD COME AND GO BUT IMO STATE WOULD REMAIN. I DON'T WANT APC TO BE IN IMO STATE COME 2015 BUT I WILL NOT RUN DOWN OR ALLOW M0RONS RUN DOWN IMO STATE BECAUSE OF THEIR MYOPIC AND UNPATRIOTIC LEVEL OF REASONING.

ALA IMO STATE WU OKE MBA. IMO STATE IS HOSPITABLE AND BEAUTIFUL

RareDiamond:

YOUR BACKWARD ENUGU SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT TO OUR DISCUSSION. IMO STATE IS THE IGBO HEARTLAND. WAWA IGALA BOYS LIKE YOU SHOULD KEEP OFF !!! THE ROADS LEADING TO THE IMO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER WHERE THE NBA CONFERENCE IS HOLDING WAS CLOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT DUE TO THE SECURITY SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY. IF NOT FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE ROADS, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE ROADS IN THE IMO ICC AREA ARE WIDE BEAUTIFULLY DUALIZED ROADS AND THE AREA IS NOT WELL POPULATED

Lol!
I am not even from Enugu state and it is obvious you do not live in Owerri.

Please ask anyone who lives in Owerri the traffic situation.

Little winder we get the kind of governance we deserve.

Do you not see the aim of the ICC is defeated if traffic in the heart of Owerri has to be closed each time dignitaries use it.

eaglechild:
Lol!
I am not even from Enugu state and it is obvious you do not live in Owerri.

Please ask anyone who lives in Owerri the traffic situation.

Little winder we get the kind of governance we deserve.

Do you not see the aim of the ICC is defeated if traffic in the heart of Owerri has to be closed each time dignitaries use it.

YOU LACK BASIC COMPREHENSION YOU WAWA BOY !!! I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU ARE THIS DUMB !!!

IF NOT FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE ROADS DUE TO BOKO HARAM THREAT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE ROADS IN THE IMO ICC AREA ARE WIDE BEAUTIFULLY DUALIZED ROADS AND THE AREA IS NOT WELL POPULATED

IN OTHER WORDS, THE TRAFFIC LOCK DOWN IN ROADS LEADING TO THE IMO ICC WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IF THERE WAS NO SECURITY THREAT IN THE COUNTRY. IF THE ROADS WASN'T CLOSED FOR SAFETY REASONS THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY TRAFFIC SITUATION.

BELOW ARE PICTURES OF THE IMO ICC AREA, DOES IT APPEAR TO YOU AS A TRAFFIC PRONE AREA OR A DENSELY POPULATED PLACE ? THE ANSWER IS NO !!! THERE IS TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE ROADS LEADING TO THE AREA WAS CLOSED DUE TO SAFETY REASONS, IF THE ROADS WASNT CLOSED THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TRAFFIC !!!

My observation: Keke should be banned from plying major roads in the country.

@ op, do you stay in Owerri?
Witness the traffic gridlock caused by locating centre of such magnitude @ an important junction and the multiple effects of such a decision to cut off this road
Bank Road is as important as wethral and douglas roads
Rochas erred in siting thx centre here and hosting such an event which brings thousands together knowing Owerri is more of a two way route in and out.
Five days of untold hardship.. Rochas guffed! See Old men and women trekking and lamenting, civil servants lamenting and even the lawyers themselves suffering too.. Too bad

RareDiamond:

YOU LACK BASIC COMPREHENSION YOU WAWA BOY !!! I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU ARE THIS DUMB !!!

IF NOT FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE ROADS DUE TO BOKO HARAM THREAT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE ROADS IN THE IMO ICC AREA ARE WIDE BEAUTIFULLY DUALIZED ROADS AND THE AREA IS NOT WELL POPULATED

IN OTHER WORDS, THE TRAFFIC LOCK DOWN IN ROADS LEADING TO THE IMO ICC WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IF THERE WAS NO SECURITY THREAT IN THE COUNTRY. IF THE ROADS WASN'T CLOSED FOR SAFETY REASONS THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY TRAFFIC SITUATION.

BELOW ARE PICTURES OF THE IMO ICC AREA, DOES IT APPEAR TO YOU AS A TRAFFIC PRONE AREA OR A DENSELY POPULATED PLACE ? THE ANSWER IS NO !!! THERE IS TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE ROADS LEADING TO THE AREA WAS CLOSED DUE TO SAFETY REASONS, IF THE ROADS WASNT CLOSED THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TRAFFIC !!!

Its obvious u don't know owerri or the place where this ICC is sited.
On a normal day, there is always a traffic gridlock on that road(warehouse).
I am not in owerri now but I am dead sure that traffic on that road will be like mad.
The pix you're showing as the road that leads to the ICC is the road to freedom square.
Check the third pix and see that the ICC is by the side of the road, check am wella, u will see a white car, that's the front of the ICC .

For the four hours I spent at the front of Icc this evening while coming back from my maternal parents house.

vanbonattel: For the four hours I spent at the front of Icc this evening while coming back from my maternal parents house.

Thank goodness you have pictures.

I simply pointed a huge flaw and came under attack as a Rochas hater by people who have absolutely no idea what is happening in Owerri.

TabletMan: Its obvious u don't know owerri or the place where this ICC is sited.
On a normal day, there is always a traffic gridlock on that road(warehouse).
I am not in owerri now but I am dead sure that traffic on that road will be like mad.
The pix you're showing as the road that leads to the ICC is the road to freedom square.
Check the third pix and see that the ICC is by the side of the road, check am wella, u will see a white car, that's the front of the ICC .

Paragonova: @ op, do you stay in Owerri?
Witness the traffic gridlock caused by locating centre of such magnitude @ an important junction and the multiple effects of such a decision to cut off this road
Bank Road is as important as wethral and douglas roads
Rochas erred in siting thx centre here and hosting such an event which brings thousands together knowing Owerri is more of a two way route in and out.
Five days of untold hardship.. Rochas guffed! See Old men and women trekking and lamenting, civil servants lamenting and even the lawyers themselves suffering too.. Too bad

It is good I also have unbiased witnesses.

vanbonattel: For the four hours I spent at the front of Icc this evening while coming back from my maternal parents house.

You have just exposed yourself. For all your bile and nasty things u always get to say against Rochas... u don't even have a car to move around... You are cramped between two passengers in a keke just To save ₦100 for 10mb, which u use to post nonesense on the internet. Get a job brother!!! Your frustrations will simmer. Get a life too.

The gathering of learned people. They defied Ebola warnin for a purpose, they are learned.

Traffic lockdown still persists in Owerri.

When everything is about showmanship, we make grave mistakes.