By: Emmanuel Nlewedum
Stakeholders of Elele-Alimini community in Emohua local government area of Rivers State have berated the council chairman, Dr. Chidi Lloyd over his comment on the alleged discovery of an illegal mortuary being run by kidnappers in the area.
Vice Chairman, Elele-Alimini Council of Chiefs, Chris Enyindah said the community was not aware of any illegal mortuary being run by kidnappers inside the Government General Hospital in the area.
He described the comment credited to the Emohua council chairman who accused stakeholders of the community of involvement in the act as unfortunate and very sad.
Chief Enyindah who admitted that there was a mortuary at the general hospital which according to him has been abandoned by the government for over a decade, said he is not aware if the mortuary is still in existence.
“No one has reported anything to us, we just heard about the incident on the news that some corpses were being dumped there, by kidnappers.
“If according to the news, that the Chairman actually alleged involvement of some stakeholders in Elele-Alimini and the community in such act, I would say it’s not true because as a stakeholder in my community am not aware of that incident.
“I know that there used to be a mortuary inside the Elele-Alimini General Hospital there, but if the mortuary is still existing, am not aware.
“If anybody actually saw such thing, they should have either summoned us, report to us or call our attention and not to go on air”.
On his part, former Secretary, Elele-Alimini Community Development Committee, Joseph Asomeji said, “It’s unfortunate that the chairman of our dear local government will choose to address the leadership of Elele-Alimini in that manner weeks after they organized a civic reception in his honour and even reaffirmed his chieftaincy title which qualifies him as a member of the community.
“The Elele-Alimini General Hospital has been abandoned by successive administrations in the state, the community has made several solidarity effort to bring to the notice of government on the position of the hospital but to no avail.
“Instead of our own brother, and the chairman of the council to draw the attention of state government to the sorry state of the hospital, he chose to give the leadership names, even the hospital is more closer to his home, Akpabu. If the hospital was in good condition his community, Akpabu would benefit more considering closeness”.
“Elele-Alimini is too big to be linked with issues of atrocious behaviors,” he said.
Asomeji however, used the medium to call on the government to fix the hospital and put it into use, “instead of it being used as safe haven for criminal elements to perpetrate evil”.
