POOR CONDITION OF FACILITIES AT OJI RIVER LEPROSY SETTLEMENT WORRIES THE INMATES

Some People with special needs in Enugu State want Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to intervene in their plights through the provision of basic facilities in their communities.They made the plea when the special Visit Every Community, VEC team visited their centers at Oji River Local Government Area.

The inmates of Leprosy Settlement listed their priority needs. They include fencing and renovating of their buildings as well as provision of medical personnel as they sourced for medical care in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Mrs. Susana Idoko is a school teacher at the center.

“There are challenges here, they need doctors to check them, we have no fence, kidnappers disturb us here. We need more houses, writing materials and more teachers. The pupils suppose to be learning computer now but none is there.”

Students of the Special Education Center, a school for visually impaired, deaf and dumb persons also called for assistance in area of security, recruitment of more specialized teachers and accommodation.

“I want government to bring bray board for us free of charge because we can’t buy them ourselves, they cost ₦5,000.We don’t have much teachers in our school and hostels”.

“We want security because they thief our things here. We want more toilets and bathroom”.

Responding, the Enugu State Commission for Education and Leader of the special VEC team, Prof. Uchenna Eze, said the team was directed by the state governor to visit the centers to give the socially excluded a sense of belonging.

“The Governor is so much concerned about their welfare and wanted us to go and find those things that the government could do to touch their lives and also help it take decisions that positively impact on the lives of the people.”

The Head of VEC Directorate, Dr. Eric Oluedo, pledged that the government would attend to the needs of the center.

NNEKA UGWUANYI