Four years after the Delta

Government installed a generator at ex-lepers resettlement centre in Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government Area, the community had remained in darkness.

Investigation revealed that the 17.5 KVA generating set, the only source of power supply to the centre, had never functioned since it was inaugurated in 2008.

The leprosarium had existed for more than 60 years and had remained without water supply.

One of the ex-lepers at the centre, Mr Jacob Adigwe, decried the situation stressing that it had made inmates to depend on stream and rain water.

Adigwe said: “since this tank was dropped here in 2010, after we had cried about water problem for many years, not one bucket of water has been put into it.

“The government, whether local or state, has also refused to sink a borehole for us.”

The 65-years-old leper, who said that he moved into the leprosarium located some kilometers away from Ogwashi-Uku metropolis in 1972, expressed regrets that the government seemed to have abandoned them.

According to him, there has never been electricity or water at this centre and as you can see, even the generator and water tank they have given to us many years after our cries are not functioning.

He also disclosed that the last time the government medical team visited the centre was five years ago.

“Now, what we do, and that is for those of us who can manage to move is that we find our way to Ogwashi-Uku General Hospital where we are treated like other patients and we pay all the bills.

“Some of us who cannot move or afford the bill for treatment and drugs at the hospital have died.”

He added that there were currently only 12 residents in the community out of more than 30 as at 2007.

Adigwe, however, disclosed that the government had been regular with the N10, 000 monthly stipend to each of the ex-lepers.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Betty Efekhoda, confirmed that the generator at the centre had problems.

She blamed the problem on the contractor, who according to her supplied a “bad” generator.

“It is an embarrassment that the generator which is supposed to be a new one has not worked for one hour since it was installed.

“The ministry has made several efforts to get the contractor to come and solve the problem but up till now, he has not showed up,” she said.

The commissioner, however, said: “we have not paid him for the job and will not pay until the issue is resolved.”

On the water problem, the commissioner said that the ministry constructed an “underground water tank” to harvest water during the rainy season for the inmates.

“In the dry season, they are expected to get their water from nearby streams.”

She also disclosed that the government was paying N10,500 to each of the inmates and said that “the last payment we made to them was for February, 2012.’’

On medication for the ex-lepers, Efekhoda said that it was the schedule of the Ministry of Health but explained that “for malaria and other ailments, they can go for treatment in any medical facility around at their own cost”.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Otumara, could not be reached for comments.