Angry Eku Leprosy Patients Storm Govt House

* Vow to stage road block, Siege Ministry complex

* cry for an increase in monthly feeding stipend
 

 * Beg Gov. Okowa to save them from dying of hunger

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

Visibly sad, tired and completely worn out leprosy patients from the Tuberculosis and leprosy hospital/settlement at Eku, Ethiope East LGA of Delta State today angrily in their numbers stormed Asaba, the state's capital city.

The angry leprosy patients arrived Asaba as early as 9am, according to one of them and armed with their protest placards marched down to the government house's gate, peacefully protesting their plights.

Their spokesman, Mr Erere Oghenero, shared with our reporter, their experience so far today.

After several hours at the governor's gate, he told us, how reluctantly, the chief of staff, government house, Mr Tom Brisibe, came out and spoke to them.

The chief of staff told us to calm down and be patient with the governor, he informed us that the governor is not in town.

He assured us that whenever the governor comes back, he will present our case to him.

Apparently not satisfied with the response and zero succour their peaceful protest earned them at government house gate as well as perceiving some foul play they marched down to the official complex of the commissioner of women affair and social development.

The rage within these leprosy patients grew hotter as their over four hours siege and peaceful protest within the ministry's complex attracted zero attention from the commissioner, her principal officials and other staff of the ministry.

Our reporter's visit at some minutes past 1pm, registered an almost 100% deserted official complex, as deadly fear appear to grip staff for fear of the ailment.

Further sharing his thoughts with our reporter, Mr Erere Oghenero, expressed huge displeasure over their serial neglect, poor living conditions and many tales of woes.

We came down to Asaba to tell the Governor to help us improve our livelihood at Eku hospital and settlement village.

We are begging the governor to pay us the four months outstanding feeding & welfare stipends owed us during the past Uduaghan administration and the two months stipend his administration owes us.

We will not leave this ministry's compound, if the commissioner refuse to attend to us, we will stay, eat and sleep here.

After our launch, if nothing happens, we will stage a road block, if the commissioner likes let her vanish, we are not going anywhere, Mr Erere said.

Angrily, they lamented that their monthly feeding stipend was N8,000 monthly, for two course meal per day, was slashed down to N6,000 but recently it was wickedly further slashed down to N3, 900, which they lamented gravely about.

The angry legion of leprosy patients staged protests at both government house's gate and the ministry's complex with various placards written, " your Excellency, are we not part of your SMART Agenda, tell Us?" "pay us our four months outstanding stipend with the rate of N6,000"

Other angry patients demonstrated with placards reading " Your Excellency, please pitty for us and help us befor we die of hunger, we know you can do it" " we are hungry, your Excellency, come to our aid"

The rest went wild passionately with placards written "is there any market for the poor?" and "increase our monthly stipends from N3, 900 to N20,000 because the cost of living is high"