Lepers Protest over Alleged Pay Cut, Neglect in Delta
LAGOS OCTOBER 21ND (URHOBOTODAY)-Peeved by the alleged cut of their monthly stipends by the state government, over 500 inmates of the Leprosy Rehabilitation Camp in Eku, Ethiope East Local Council of Delta State have stormed Asaba, the state capital to protest against ‘neglect.’
The angry protesters, who strategic roads in the tow, were armed with placards bearing different inscriptions.
A spokesperson for the group, Arotule Hitler, told reporters that their monthly entitlements were earlier slashed from N8,000 to N3,900 during the tenure of former Governor James Ibori.
As if that was not painful enough, she noted that it was further reduced to N2,500 before the current Commissioner for Women Affairs, Rev. Omashola Williams raised the fund a little to N3,900 which, they stressed, was still grossly inadequate for their upkeep.
Hitler added that their daily meal which used to be twice during Ibori’s era had turned once and irregular.
“Ibori built the camp and started paying us N8,000 monthly as stipend. He was also feeding us two times everyday. Former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan came and continued with the practice. It was in 2014 that he decided to reduce the stipend to N6,000. Then they reduced to N2,500, and recently they invited our leaders for a meeting where they promised to increase it to N3,900 with a meal daily. But last week, they came with N3,000 instead of N3,900 which provoked us. So we are here to tell them that we will no longer accept the situation,” she stated.
Contacted, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Orientation and Social Development, Eugene Uzum, has assured immediate resolution of the issues.
He said persons living disabilities were very close to the heart of the present administration and appealed to the protesters not to return to the streets for alms, adding that arrangements were already in place to cater for their welfare.