Electrocuted Boy, 12, Petitions RVHA

Last week, the State Assembly received a petition on a 12- year – old Rivers State indigene  and a Junior Secondary School  student of Government Secondary School, Oroworukwo, Master Uchechukwu Ewurum who resides at Ojoto Street, Diobu, Port Harcourt with his parents .

The  petition, presented on the floor of the House by Hon Augustine Ngo, alleged that Master Uchechukwu is a victim of electrocution, caused by a high tension wire, which got severed from a Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), facility, near their home.

The petition said the wire with high electric current was left dangling until it rested on the handrail of the victims rented apartment.

On the fateful day, the boy had run out to welcome his mother and unfortunately touched the handrail of the apartment  electrocuted him.

Although, he is still alive, he has lost his right hand from the shoulder down, has a sore tummy and suffers memory loss.

The parents of Uchechukwu are so poor that they cannot afford to pay the medical bills.

According to the petition, PHCN has not shown any sympathy or interest in the matter and the parents do not have money to sue PHCN for criminal negligence and therefore, appealed to the Assembly to intervene.

Another petition by Prince Chinedu Agu and presented by Hon Irene Inimgba, representing Port Harcourt Constituency II, alleged that a property belonging to the petitioner was demolished by Rev Mina Aprioku and the land relocated to another person.

Mr Agu said he properly acquired the land before erecting a three, bedroom structure on it.

According to him, trouble started when Rev. Mina Aprioku demanded N1m from him to be given to the permanent secretary or risk demolition of his structure. While efforts to seek clarification on the demand for such amount was going on and the inability to raise the money, Rev Aprioku allegedly ordered the destruction of his property under the pretext of directive the State Governors.

Unfortunately, soon after, the land was sold to Mr Boma Obuferibo by Rev Mina Aprioku. He, therefore, prayed the State Assembly to come to his aid as the police that initially intervened following his complaint on the matter had now been bought over.

Speaker, Rt. Hon Otelemaba Amachree directed the House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions to handle them and report back to the House soon.

An interating  source on Wednesday sitting was the appearance of three Commissioners of Environment, Mr Nyema Weli, Speical Duties, Mr Dickson Omunakwe, and Inforamtion, Mrs Ibim Semenitari to brief the lawmakers on their level of preparedness towards the predicted heavy rainfall that would cause flooding.

Responding to questions, Mr Dickson Omunakwe failed to provide necessary details about the 2012 flood handling in the State on the grounds that he assumed office on January 16, 2013.

He, however, disclosed that N30million was approved by the flood committee to produce seedlings and suckers for distribution to farmers in the affected local government areas.

Mr Nyema Weli, who suggested dredging of the Nyer and Orashi rivers to reduce volume of water, however, failed to remember the name of any of the communities affected by flood that he visited.

The Information and Communciation Commissioner, Mrs Semenitari told the House that her Ministry had mapped out plans to use electronicard, print media, bill board, town criers to enlighten the public on the predicted flooding for 2013 by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).