By Francis Sadhere
“There is no card on my phone and that is why I am sending you a message here. I know you have tried more than my family members. My dad is back in the hospital. This time he was referred to General Hospital Warri.
The above is a text message by a daughter of DSC worker to Mr. Sunny Onuesoke who has been calling for the restoration of the abandoned Delta Steel Company, DSC.
According to her; “My father is in a very critical state and he needs to go for a scan and that is why I was calling Operation Restore DSC yesterday. There was no way to raise the money so we could not do it. Please do not abandon us at this time. I beg you. As I talk to you, I do not have a single kobo to buy card on my phone. I do not have transport to leave the clinic. It is difficult and nothing seems to be working out anymore. I beg you sir.”
It was learnt at press time that Mr. Onuesoke has responded positively to the pathetic sms from the distressed daughter of the DSC worker.
And the man dies…
But the sad news of the death of the man, Samuel Atuma, two hours ago at the Warri Central Hospital has just reached our newsroom. We do not have details yet.
Meanwhile, member representing Udu in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Keston Okoro has assured staff of the moribund Delta Steel Company, Ovwian Aladja of the intervention of government in their plight, stating that he was going to raise the travails of the company under matters of public importance for consideration of House member.
H gave the assurance recently during a visit to some staff of the company who have suffered untold hardship over nonpayment of staff salaries for about nine years and the recent closure of the DSC Hospital by AMCON which has resulted in serious interruption of the excellent health care services of the DSC hospital.
Briefing the representative of Udu in the House of Assembly, members of the Concerned DSC staff led by Comrade Godfrey Egbevwie and Yusuf Nuhu, explained that DSC staff have suffered undue marginalization from government over the years, stressing that one of the benefits accruable to staff and Udu indigenes in the area of concession in admission into the DSC Technical High School has been stopped, paving way for non-indigenes to have upper hand in terms of admission into DSC Schools.
The DSC staff noted further that with the closure of the DSC Hospital, access to health care in the DSC community was now a major challenge.
The DSC staff called for intervention of government so as to assuage the suffering of the company and its many suffering staff.
In his response, Hon. Okoro expressed concern with the suffering of the company staff assuring that as representative of Udu in the House of Assembly, he would do everything within his powers to ensure DSC come alive again.
He noted that the Ajaokuta Stell Plant, which was established as a follow up to DSC has been taken over by government and billions of naira voted for the company to stay in business.
He added that all Udu sons and daughters must take it as a serious challenge to do everything possible to draw government attention to DSC travails and to ensure the suffering staff are giving reasons to smile again.
He assured that the Delta State government would take the matter up once the House of Assembly is able to pass a resolution to the effect that DSC be given special attention as the biggest federal government presence in the state.
Hon. Okoro, who spoke through his Personal Assistant , Comrade Johnbull Kenairu, noted that there was need for all the candidates to ensure the peace in the area is not truncated because of elections, stressing that Udu must continue to enjoy being a reference point in political maturity , fair-play and harmonious democratic practice for the prosperity of the land.
He stated that as a PDP stalwart, he was going to ensure every PDP candidate wins in the election, adding however that whatever the outcome of the election may be, nobody should take laws into their hands as the peace in Udu is more than victory in election or the benefits of electoral victory.
He charged all PDP candidates to give their best to deliver the party in the LG poll and all future elections, maintaining that PDP is a party to beat in the coming election.
