Enugu Govt Offers Scholarship To Ten-year -old House Help Brutalised By Guardians
…Vows To Ensure Justice
Enugu State government has promised to ensure wellbeing of the ten-year-old female househelp, Miss Nneoma Nnadi, who was grievously bartered and maltreated by her guardians, Mrs Ifeoma Ozougwu and her husband, Mr Jude Ozougwu. The state government also promised to offset her medical bills and ensure that she receives adequate medical attention, in addition to offer of Scholarship to university level for the primary school pupil.
It was reported that the woman and her husband, Mr Ozougwu, who reside at Thinkers Corner, Enugu, and hail from Aku in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, inflicted various degrees of injuries on the little child, which prompted their arrest by the Enugu State Police Command, and rescue of the victim who is now receiving treatment at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu.
Consequently, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State directed his Commissioner for Gender Affairs and Social Development, Princess Peace Nnaji, to immediately visit the victim at the hospital to ensure that she receives proper medical attention.
Princess Nnaji who was accompanied by the Chief Medical Director of ESUTH, Parklane, Enugu, Prof. Hyacinth Onah, to see the abused child, empathised with the victim and her immediate family and promised them that the state government would not take the matter lightly.
She stressed that “we can never sweep the matter under the carpet”, pointing out that the dastardly act undermined the Child Rights Act “His Excellency, Rt Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration spent millions of naira, time and energy to enact in collaboration with UNICEF, to make sure that every child in Enugu State is protected, given education, healthcare and right to life, among others”.
According to her, “Enugu State government is not taking this lying low. The state government will take care of all the medical bills, facility and everything concerning this girl”.
Expressing shock at the ugly experience the traumatized little girl encountered in the hands of her guardians, Princess Nnaji thanked the neighbours for bringing the cruel incident to public domain, describing them as “Good Samaritans”.
Responding, the mother of the victim, Mrs Nnedinso Nnadi, expressed gratitude to Governor Ugwuanyi for the state government’s concern and intervention, disclosing that it was a traumatic experience for the child and the entire family and asked God to reward all those who have played roles towards the rescue and treatment of their child.
In his remark, the Chief Medical Director of ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, Prof. Onah, explained that the victim was responding to treatment and being taken care of adequately, adding that “her chances of full recovery are high”.
Also while venting her anger over the unwholesome act by the guardians, a human rights activist, Onyinyechukwu Mamah of the Heroine Women Foundation, vowed that they would apply the instrumentality of the Child Protection Network to secure justice for the abused child.
Chroniclegist captured the miserable state of the brutalised Nneoma Nnadi, with deep wounds on parts of her body, alleged to be the effects of impacted hot electric iron, wire -whip and all manner of maltreatment inflicted on her.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, while he is presently on his M.Sc programme also in Mass Communication, at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is currently the NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
