...accuses Commissioner of women affairs, Chiemma Homes for diverting welfare packages

By Ogochukwu Nwaokafor, AWKA

The Association of Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disorder, (APLSCD ) has lamented bitterly over the unfair attitudes being meted on her by some groups, individuals and particularly Anambra Ministry of Women Affairs while calling on the executive governor, Prof Charles Soludo to intervene.

Briefing the pressmen at the APLSCD home in Nwagu Agulu, during the weekend, the National coordinator, Mrs Aisha Edward Maduagwu urged the state government especially the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Ify Obinabo to give support and attention to the association as promised during a courtesy visit to intimate her of the activities, challenges and frustration of the association with the Ministry.

Noting that, the persons living with this disorder were neglected and left to suffer a decision that wasn't theirs until they came together under the loving arms of an association to fight and fend for themselves and their cause.

According to Aisha, Their cause which was simple, 'allow us to breathe; provide certain welfare that would enable us live a normal life like other persons living with different disorders'.

She noted that the Commissioner of women affairs, Mrs Ify Obinabo has constantly ignored appeals of the Association even after acknowledging the her presence. This, the association has taken in good faith, and have understood to be possible consequences of not running a home that allows adoption which has been said to be more beneficial and Juicy to the ministry, and as such the association is likely perceived as a liability to the state by the commissioner since SCD persons are considered not adoptable.' She said

Mrs Maduagwu however frowned at the lackadaisical attitudes of the ministry of Women Affairs led by Mrs Ify Obinabo and her cohorts while she alleged that the office was beginning to operate an illegal business of adoption in collaboration with some children's Home.

She accused one Chiemma Home behind Government House, Awka of collaborating with one Mrs Helen Eze and Hon Ify Obinabo to ignore, divert and obtain welfare packages ment for APLSCD during the World sickle cell remembrance day.

"the former Commissioner of Health, Mr. Vincent Okpala neglecting all advice from well meaning Anambrarians withdrew members of the APLSCD who were first on the monitoring team and replaced them with individuals who are not in the medical field nor living with sickle cell disorder. This is a clear contravention of the stipulations of the Anambra State Sickle Cell law".

"In order to achieve their agenda of using Sickle Cell Disorder as a business enterprise hiding under the cover of the state government. These individuals Mrs. Chinwe Nnagbo and Miss Ifunanya Faithmicheal Nwanadile  joined the association with the guise of working for their selfish and criminal cause, claiming that their children were living with sickle cell disorder. Unknown to the association they were working towards cloning the Association's activities and exploiting the association to their advantage".

"When the association found out their ulterior motives and disbanded them from the association they started a parallel association in cohort with the commissioner for child and Women Affairs, who offered them Government protection to also operate a deceptive home (Chiemma Community Children Home) using Sickle Cell as their initial front, just to hoodwink the unsuspecting government functionaries to patronise their adoption racketting business and looting what naturally should go to persons living with Sickle Cell disorder".

Mrs Aisha noted that the organization enjoyed warming support only from individuals, Church and organisations, wife of the former Governor of the state, Dr Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano who showed the association love and care until the present administration came in with some appointees who were bent on tarnishing the good image of Prof Charles Soludo by neglecting as well as diverting the welfare packages of the orphanage home.

With there support and assistance the organization was able to record many successes for her members, from paying their school fees, building a vocational training centre in Agulu, providing them immediate and effective healthcare when they need them (which they need quite often), providing welfare needs for them. In a bid to ensure that their members do not continue to suffer the degradation and neglect they often get from their families.

Mrs Aisha and Members of Association of Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disorder, appeals to the State Governor, Commissioner for Health and Anambrarians to please come to her aid to put an end to these shenanigans that has endangered and continue to endanger the lives of persons living with sickle cell disorder in Anambra State and also appealing that Anambra State Sickle Cell law should be respected.

Especially the Section 10: sub section 3: of the Sickle Cell Disease (Control and Eradication) Law, 2019 stipulates persons qualified to be a member of the monitoring team of sickle cell disorder in the state. One of the category of these persons should be a member of the Association of Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disorder amongst other members from different medical professions.

'The Anambra State Sickle cell Act was signed into law in 2019 by the then Governor, Chief Willie Obiano'.