The Inquirer (Monrovia)
18 April 2008
By: Solomon T. Gaye
Disables residing at the Ganta Leprosy TB Rehabilitation Center in Nimba County, are appealing to the Government of Liberia to immediately come to their rescue by making available food items and other basic necessities for their survival.
The disabled people said if nothing is done urgently to cater to their plight, things might worsen for them.
Speaking to our reporter in Nimba recently, the disable complained of the lack of food at the center stressing that as a result of that, they are going through extreme difficulties while residing at the center.
They have therefore urged the authority of the Ministry of Labor and Health to do something about their plight, as life at the center is getting completely unbearable for them.
Mr. Gabriel Smith, a former Secretary General of the center, who was dismissed sometime ago, told our Nimba County correspondent that no food is at the center something, which he noted is one of the major problems at the institutions.
Mr. Soh, who himself is a disable, alleged that incentives intended for the disable at the center have been stopped, but failed to state any reason why the disable people have not been receiving their incentives.
He alleged that the Administrator at the center, who is a Catholic Sister simply called Patricia, is the one who stopped the incentives to the disable people.
He added that for the past few times, all basic incentives of the disable, which include bulgur wheat and the monthly stipends, have been abolished.
Mr. Soh who worked with the center for the past twenty- eight years as Chief Scribe, also alleged that he too, has been denied from receiving his stipends for almost a year now.
He also appealed to the government through the Labour Ministry to intervene by investigating the matter and the action concerning his dismissal from his post.
"How can a man work for 28 years while receiving US 90. 00, and when he is dismissed, the authority will give him only US$ 300," he asked.
For his part, disable Joseph Kerkulah told the Inquirer that more than twenty of the disables had been cast out by the Catholic sister since she took office over few months ago.
"We are dying slowly from hunger due to the lack of food and for the past six months we have been living on wild fruits and begging," he added.
When contacted, Sister Patricia refused to comment on grounds that she is not clothed with the authority to speak to the press.
"Contact the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for the information you want," she retorted and walked away from our reporter.
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