The people of Soku community in Akuku-Toru local government area of Rivers State have lauded the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for intervening to curtail the recent outbreak of cholera in the community.
The NDDC, through its Rivers State office, had last week deployed a team of medical professionals to tackle the outbreak which has killed no fewer than nine persons in the community.
Recall that the state government had in a statement signed by the commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, described reports about cholera outbreak in the community as mere rumour.
But, speaking on the development, the chairman of Soku Council of Chiefs, Chief Omubo Omoni Alasia expressed shock that the state government could say that there was no cholera outbreak in the oil-rich community.
Alasia stated that himself and three of his children, as well as the traditional ruler of the community and many others were victims of the cholera outbreak and were yet to fully recover from the disease.
Addressing people of the community during a town hall meeting, Rivers State representative on the board of the NDDC, Chief Tony Okocha emphasized that the commission was not a subsidiary of the Rivers State government and therefore does not need the permission of the commissioner for Health before responding to save the lives of the people of the community.
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