Emohua in Rivers: Local Government where gangsters have shut-down all hospitals, healthcare Centre’s

... Residents lament lack of access to Medicare, huge cost

We are taking war to the kidnappers with results–Tom Aliezi, Council Chairman.

Daniel Efe

Indigenes and residents of Communities in Emohua Local Government Area have raised alarm over their inability to access basic healthcare facilities as Government hospitals and health Centres have all shutdown due to incessant kidnappings of medical personnel working  there and cult-related gangsterism.

Shutdown cottage hospitals in Emohua local government area of Rivers State sorry state.

Investigations carried by our Correspondent showed that most residents in the local Government either travel to Ahoada, headquarters of Ahoada East local government depending on the resources of the affected Patients and the severity of the ailments, they may travel to the University Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, UPTH, or Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, BMSH, both in Port Harcourt.

In some worse cases, Patients either die due to self-medications or inability to get cured in their trust in different Prayer Houses and Vendors of herbal medicines.

Allwell Eze, a concerned indigene of the area lamented the sorry state of healthcare facilities in local Government area. “The State Primary and Secondary Healthcare facilities in the areas like the General Hospital Emohua, General hospital Elele Alimini and the Cottage hospital, Ibaa have all been shut-down and abandoned.

Due to insecurity in the local government area it became unsafe for medical personnel to work in hospitals and various healthcare facilities leading to kidnapping and killings the state government directed that medical personnel in various be redeployed for personal safety.

Worse hit by the lack of healthcare facilities forcefully shut-down due to kidnapping of medical personnel and general insecurity in the areas are residents of Ndele, Ogbakiri, Rumuji, Ibaa, Ovogo, Elele-Alimini, Obele, Emohua and their environs.

Residents from Emohua local government are lamenting over the sad development.

Also, one Precious Fubara Jumbo summed up the ugly scenario: “I feel very sorry for Rivers State People. I hear they want to bridge at Garrison, First artillery and Rumuokoro. Whereas important things are looked down on. Even flood case at Rumuagholo and Nkpolu is not important to them. People are packing out and are suffering. Hospital facilities are lacking in most Communities and where they exist they lack maintenance”.

Ogbole Victor, on his part, attributed the shutdown of all health facilities in Emohua local government to the general insecurity due incessant cult gang fights by different cult groups.

Lesuanu Nwigoa was sarcastic in his comment by blaming the sorry state of the healthcare facilities to the fact that for those who are holding top positions at different levels of government are so privileged that” little headaches they are flown abroad for treatment”, so they cared less about the state of healthcare facilities in localities.

Blessed Ify Eyim, on his part asked residents in the areas to blame kidnappers for their plight.

“At least I’m sure of Emohua own where they nearly kidnap my friend who is as Pharmacist in Emohua General Hospital. Since then all the health workers were redeployed to BMSH.

It would recalled in March 2015, Dr. Azubike Okara, medical doctor working at the Emohua General Hospital was kidnapped and his abductors allegedly demanded N20 million Naira.

At time of his release unharmed it was not clear how much was paid to secure his freedom.

Since then, Communities in Emohua have been ravaged by cult gang fights and kidnap camps.

Major hijacking of private vehicles and commercial buses and the abduction of occupants always take place the Emohua local government stretch of the East-West road.

Emohua Local Government Chairman Chief Tom Aliezi has declared that the fight against insecurity in the Area is yielding positive results by the day.

He stated that the government can no longer dialogue with cultists to repent from their criminal activities because of the insincerity of some of the supposed repentant cultists.

Hon Tom Aliezi in a Press statement on Friday August 16 and signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Information and Communications, Bright Jossy, commended the security agencies and volunteer community security services for the progress made so far in the Area.

According to him, “the security agencies with the help of community volunteers are currently taking the war down to the hideouts of the hoodlums and a lot of progress have so far been made.

“Gone are the days when the government wait for them to attack before responding.

“Now they are the ones running and the government chasing them down to their different hideouts.

We urge community leaders and youths to support the security agencies with relevant information that would improve the security situation of the Area”.

The statement urged youths of Emohua Local Government Area to shun crime and criminality and live peacefully in their various communities without having to run from one forest to another for fear of security agencies.

The Council Chairman said that crime can only lead one to destruction, and appealed to parents to train their children to grow with the fear of God in order to reduce the number of youth involvement in Cultism, Armed robbery and kidnapping and other crimes.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing logistics support to security agencies to enhance their operations in the Area , and commended the Rivers State Government for the Establishment of the new security architecture in the state code named “Operation Sting” which he said it’s operations is recording great results daily in Emohua Local Government Area.

He further lauded the Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, for providing modern crime fighting equipment’s to aid the operations of the new security architecture.