03092019 - FG weighs options as another $2.3bn fine looms

28—Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, , 2019
VOL. 1: NO. 206 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019
Edo IDP camp sells off relief
materials to procure drugs
•Epidemic looms, as IDPs lack anti-biotics, anti-malaria drugs
•...as Doctors’ Time-Out launch deworming programme
A cross section of the IDPs
(above) and some of them
singing/dancing (right).
EDO... HEARTBEAT
OF THE NATION
By Alemma-Ozioruva
Aliu
OHOGUA—THERE is
fear of an epidemic
outbreak at the
Internally-Displaced Persons,
IDP, camp run by the International
Christian Centre for Missions,
ICCM, for victims of Boko Haram
insurgents at Ohogua, Ovia
North-East Local Government
Area, Edo State, following severe
shortage of essential drugs,
sanitary pads, food and other
necessary items.
NDV learned that authorities of
the camp now sell available food
items to buy drugs for the sick
inmates with the hope that more
food items would come
later, rather than allow
inhabitants to remain sick
without drugs.
Edo State government had, in
past four years, assisted in the
building schools, provision of
shelter and food for the 4,000
inmates, but when NDV visited
the facility last week, the situation
was clearly unusual, as a feverish
IDP, Dairus, said there was no
drug to treat him.
Troubled, the Administrator of
the camp, Pastor Folorunsho
Solomon, disclosed that selling
some foodstuff was the only
option available to him at the
moment.
His words: “One night, we had
to go and look for N400,000 to get
malaria drugs; we had to sell part
of what has been donated to us to
buy drugs for our inmates.”
SOS to FG, Edo govt
He added: ”We appreciate the
Edo State government and we
have been praying for it to
succeed and continue the good
work Governor Obaseki is doing
in the state. However, as he is
developing the state, we want to
bring to say our camp is part of
this state.
“A lot of our inmates have got
admission, some are studying
medicine, law, different courses
in several universities in the state,
including the state-owned
university and the cost is
enormous for us to bear alone.
”This year alone, we have more
than 100, who scored above
JAMB cut-off mark and a lot of
them will go for post-UME
examination. So I am appealing
to them to come and help these
children. I believe if those who
want to go to school get education,
it will help them and ultimately
the communities they come from.”
He asserted: “We are also
appealing to the Federal
Government to support us. It
should also give scholarship to the
children so that those who want
to go to school will be able to go.
“I know there are enormous
challenges bedevilling the
country and we thank the Federal
Government for what it is doing
to curtail the insurgents; we pray
for more success in this regard.”
Doctors Time-Out intervenes
Some groups, in the midst of the
challenges, have continued to
support the displaced persons.
Among them is a nongovernmental
organisation,
Doctors Time-Out, which visited
few days ago to deworm the
occupants, provide other medical
assistance and take over the
training of eight students from
primary and secondary school.
President of Doctors Time-Out,
Dr Osezua Oamen, told
journalists: “What made us to
come here to mark our fourth year
anniversary is because of the
unpalatable situation here. Most
of the children here are orphans
and others do not know where
their parents are. So the situation
is quite disheartening.
“Being doctors, we are
humanists. This is one charity we
do and it is called Doctors’ Time-
Out. That is, you take time out of
your busy schedule to sit with your
friends and relax. But while doing
that, you think of how you can
better your society.
“In this place, they need all the
help they can get. So we did a
need assessment and, in our little
way, we picked eight
persons: four in the primary
school and four in the secondary
school. They are made up of two
boys and two girls from each level,
and decided to take care of their
schooling from now on.
“Education here is free, but we
want to be responsible for their
books, uniform, sandals and other
needs, and we hope to take them
to the their tertiary education so
that they can realise whatever
potentials they have.”
15 bags of rice,
per meal...
Responding on behalf of the
management, Pastor Evelyn
Onigie lauded the initiative of the
doctors, but appealed for more
support from the public.
She said: “Thank God for the
deworming these doctors are
doing. As we speak, we do not
have anti-malaria drugs or
antibiotics. You can see many
young girls here. So, we need
sanitary pads, and we need soap
for bathing, disinfectants.
“Everything that is good for
people out there is needed here.
We appeal to people, individuals,
NGOs, churches to help us.
“We have more than 4,000
inmates here and feeding is a big
deal. For a meal, we cook 15 bags
of rice. If we are to make eba, we
use 10 bags of garri (50kg each);
it has been really enormous.”