Sickle Cell Orphanage Home, Agulu Laments Over Denying Of N50m FG Support For Vulnerable Sickle Children
By Joyce Onuora, Abakaliki
Sickle Cell Orphanage and Underprivileged Home Agulu has lamented over how Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah heavily politicized the federal government project to establish a National Center for sickle Cell Disease Treatment and Research at old Aguata Union and how he denied vulnerable sickle cell children the needed support for their well-being through a federal government strategic plan at the national center
This was contained in a open letter signed on 27th March 2024 by Aisha Edwards Maduagwu National Coordinator, APLSCD and Director Sickle Cell Orphanage and Underprivileged Home Agulu , noted that she was disappointed that what was being erected as structure could easily pass as a poultry farm .
According to her statement,
“Sickle Cell Persons are not for your political exploitations”
“I thought by now you must have repented with deep remorse, on how you use unsuspecting citizens deliberately to achieve your political aim, after which you would dump them in worse state.
“I have meant to write to you on how you heavily politicized the federal government project to establish a National Center for Sickle Cell Disease Treatment and Research, to be sighted within the old Aguata Union, and how you employed every divisionary method to deny vulnerable sickle cell children the needed support for their well-being through a federal government strategic plan at the national center.
“At the grand opening of the Sickle Cell Orphanage and Underprivileged Home Agulu in August 2020, which you were the special guest of honour, you left some promising remarks infront of the Igwe Agulu, Igwe Innocent Obodoakor and other invited guests, on how the national center is to be modelled in such a way to attract foreign assistance for the treatment of sickle cell disorder.
“Our organization, Association of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorder (APLSCD) followed you up with a proposal for a national sickle cell center which advertently metamorphosed into the bill for the establishment of a national center for sickle cell disease treatment and research, which you sponsored at the floor of the Nigerian Senate.
“We did not stop there, for when a piece of land was needed for the national sickle cell center project, our organization wrote pleadingly to the Igwe Nanka, HRH Igwe Godwin Ezeilo, on that regard and Nanka town responded kindly by apportioning a site at Enugwu-Nanka which was then prepared after meeting certain conditions.
“Sir, to our rude shock and disappointment, what was being erected as structure could easily pass as a poultry farm. This was after we discovered through the BOQ that the initial budget earmarked for the project was in total of 50m naira from the ministry of science and technology which is the executing ministry.
Our mortal sin was that we confronted you about the seemingly disparity between the budget and what was on ground.
“In all these, you were loudly gyrating all through the conventional and social media, telling anyone who cared to listen how you brought life back into vulnerable sickle cell persons. You gave nod to your media goons to misinform the unsuspecting public about the status of the national center for sickle cell disease treatment and research, saying it has been fully equipped and functional, while the reality on ground is that there is nothing like the national center for sickle cell disease treatment and research. Only you Senator Ubah could explain what you used the 50million naira to achieve on that site.
“Would I remind you on how one of your foot soldiers, late Joseph Ezenwegbu, popularly known as Joemoel, and your contractor Linda Offor, threatened to deal with us if we should step feet close to the site? Linda Offor, a relation to Sir Emeka Offor, used his name to threaten us all through the days we visited the site, only for us to later realize that Sir Emeka Offor is humane and would never use his position to oppress or support the oppression of the needy. Joe Moel ganged up with some faceless individuals to bury charms at the compound and told us blatantly that you Ifeanyi Ubah had ‘settled’ him with the center. In what sense Sir, would you settle him with a federal government strategic plan to fight sickle cell disease? Undoubtedly, we have to believe Joemoel and never returned back on site after all our efforts to draw your attention became unproductive and to no avail. Your silence lent credence to his claim of settlement.
“If you could recall Sir, how we followed and showed you massive support during your campaigns for senatorial and gubernatorial bids. Our unalloyed support for your candidacy soured our relationships with other political heavyweights including Peter Obi, Willie Obiano and Governor Soludo. We did all these in hope that eventually when you get to a place of power, you will utilize your position to speak favourably on our behalf for a more improved wellbeing of vulnerable sickle cell persons. During your last gubernatorial bid, we were advised by Obu Nanka to refrain from calling you out publicly on how despicable you handled the sickle cell project, inorder for our grievances not to be misconstrued as a political hatchet job meant to undermine your aspiration.
“Dear Sir, can you be distinguished enough to tell the public the true position of the national sickle cell center, that it is now overgrown with weeds and has become a habitation for all manner of dangerous reptiles after 4 years of our struggles to have a government sponsored center for sickle cell persons in Anambra State and South East at large? Whereupon in the death of any sickle cell persons due to negligence, you would be held culpable in every moral ramifications. Your nonchalance has made life very difficult for us, and it’s reflective in the huge amount of money we have to pay yearly house rent in our present abode as an individual without any kind of support from the government.
“Like I asked earlier, I thought you must have had an encounter and possible change of heart on how you tactically use and dump people in politics. Anyone that is unfortunate enough to have any dealing with you whether in business or politics always end up with his or her own tale of woes.
“Look at your recently held colloquium and empowerment program at your stadium at Nnewi. Tales of woes by attendees continue to dominate every social media platform and discussion, particularly from staunch APC members whom were duped into honouring your invite with the hope of empowerment as you rightly published. They are humans too but treated like animals because of your unripe gubernatorial ambition in 2025.
“Our own is that you should at least define or explain what was built at Enugwu-Nanka, because it does not befit to be called a national center, sponsored and paid for by the federal government. Choose your sacrificial lambs carefully, and never toy with the destinies of vulnerable and underprivileged persons, especially those living with sickle cell disorder. Your YPP coordinator in Nanka, Joe Mohale, that constantly threatened us with hail and brimstone in your name is no longer alive today to carryout his numerous threats, silenced by the bullets of unknown gunmen which we interpreted to be as a result of divine retributive justice.
“Dear Sir, we implore you to change from your current political banditry so people would come to appreciate the little impact you bring into their lives. For us at the Association of People Living with Sickle Cell Disorder, we don’t have the power or resources to drag you to EFCC or ICPC, but one thing we can assure you is that we shall continue to cry aloud on our knees in supplication to God to judge how unjustly you have treated us.
Sincerely yours..”
Aisha Edwards Maduagwu,
National Coordinator,
APLSCD and
Director,
Sickle Cell Orphanage and Underprivileged Home Agulu.
08033222007.”
