Group tackles Delta govt over poor school facilities, alleged extortions

Delta State Human Rights Protection Congress, a coalition of all human rights groups in the state, has called out the state government over what it called poor state of facilities and misdemeanor at the School of Nursing, Edjeba, Warri South Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that the coalition had been inundated with several complaints from parents of the students as regards overcrowded hostel, alleged extortions and intimidation from the management.

Speaking at a parley with the Principal of School of Nursing, Edjeba, Dr Timothy Ogaga, during a fact-finding mission on Monday, a patron of the human rights coalition, Pastor Egedegbe Edewor, who led other members, requested evidence against the allegations.

One of the coordinators of the coalition, Kelvin Egumudo, while reeling out the allegations said school’s management subjected “our students to some monthly extortions of money to fuel the facilities; where there’s suppose to be four persons in a room, they are putting 10 to 12 students in a room.

“They threaten them when they refused to pay and their parents are afraid to speak up.

“Students were also asked to pay some money for the last Valentine Day. Besides, the school is not meeting up with the required standards.”

Responding, Dr Ogaga, debunked the allegations and agreed to prove this by leading the comrades to verify his claims at the school hostel.

He said being a member of Pirates Confraternity, which is known for discipline, he wouldn’t subject his children to frivolous levies outside the stipulated fees by the government.

“I’m a member of a disciplined organisation, the Pirates Confraternity. I got such allegation sometimes ago.

“No room accommodates more than six or seven students. We’ve even made bunks with mattresses for the students.

“We have an attachment that we are about to complete to further make the place conducive.

“At my age, I’ll be collecting money for valentine? It is not true. No money is paid aside from the statutory fees. They pay examinations money. They don’t pay school fees,” he explained.

Ogaga, who had earlier pledged to lead the comrades to the hostel to confirm his refutation of overcrowding, however, reneged after having a  phone conversation with a member of the Delta House of Assembly, Hon. Augustine Uroye, who is the chairman, House Committee on Health.

Reacting to Dr Ogaga’s sudden afterthought, Pastor Edewor and Comrade Egumudo said it was clear “there were tendencies that could suggest that something is really amiss, but because we are in a government that the plight of the people does not matter to, that’s why people could scheme things the way they want.

They expressed disappointment at the intrusion of Hon. Uroye, but vowed to press the issues further in order to get to the root of all the allegations.

“We are not done yet. We are still pressing on. We are coming back and we will also make our fact-findings known to the public.

“We will have an interface with the Commissioner for Health, Delta State, under which this institution is situated and also the House Committee Chairman on Health in the state House of Assembly,” Pastor Edewor said