By Lawal A. Dogara,Kaduna
The Down Quarters Community in Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State has vowed to use all available means to reject the proposed location of Ebola quarantine center within its community. The chairman of the Down Quarters Association, Mr. James Ojo disclosed this while speaking during a protest by the communities to the Kaduna South Local Government Area.
According to Mr. Ojo ,the first hint of the proposed use of the facility as a quarantine site was a like any other rumor, until officials from the Ministry of Health started visiting the Primary Health Care facility located within the community. This, according to him, aroused the suspicion of the people who asked to know why the sudden visit to the health facility which has been abandoned by the local government for years .And they got the shock of their lives when they were told that the government intended to use the area as a disease control area for HIV/AIDs and Ebola patients.
“The community was not comfortable with the development and as if that is not enough, the Commissioner of Health in Kaduna State, Dr. Joseph Thot and his permanent secretary visited the facility and even refused to give any explanation for their visit to the community.
“The next thing we saw (was) that the Deputy Governor, Amb. Audu Nuhu Bajoga, Commissioner of Health and a white lady came to the facility which was opened to them; they went around and left without any word; so that is why when we met, we decided to embark on this peaceful protest because without us there is no government. No reasonable government will jeopardize the health of its people by locating Ebola quarantine facility within their community,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Village Head of Down Quarters, Alhaji Shuaibu Mohammed said as the traditional ruler in charge of the community, he expected the government and ministry of health officials to inform him of their plan; but they kept mute only for us to hear that it is a disease control area.
Alhaji Shuaibu added that if it is any other disease, the community would not be bothered, but when they mentioned Ebola all the people became scared based on what they have heard and read about Ebola virus.
“First of all, this facility was built during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and handed over to the local government to run and unfortunately, after sometimes it was abandoned because Kaduna South Local Government (was) short of staff.
“Vandals invaded the facility and there was even a time that somebody was killed in front of it. The community then, raised about N2million to fence the facility and employed a security guard to safeguard it because we know it will benefit us. So, why are they now saying they will convert it to Ebola quarantine area. We have children in this community that go about and may easily get in contact with ebola patients and that’s a death sentence not to only them but to the community.
“If the government is serious in setting up ebola quarantine area, they should go to the outskirt of the town as practiced internationally; but myself and people in Down Quarters will rise up against the government to ensure that the quarantine site is remove from our community,” he said.
The chief security officer of the community, Mallam Ahmed Yusuf in his own reaction said, Down Quarters is a mini-Nigeria and a community that has enjoyed peace and stability in the face of riots and uprising in Kaduna State. He wondered why Kaduna State Government is trying to disturb the peace of the community by locating Ebola quarantine area or diseases control centre in their community. He advised the Kaduna State Government to think twice.
“The first market in Kaduna metropolis is located here. The first timber market is here. We’ve been leaving in a slum but we’ve endured because the government abandoned us. But today, they only remember Down Quarters because they’re looking for people who can be infected with ebola by locating the quarantine facility within their community. We don’t want it, we want them to take it another site,” Mallam Yusuf said.
Given the combustible nature of Kaduna metropolis, it may indeed be advisable for government to reach out to the community and resolve the issues before things get out of control, observers said.
The protest over Ebola centre in Kaduna is similar to the disquiet in Abuja’s Kuje following the location of Ebola centre there.In fact, the LG chairman and the FCT minister,Bala Mohammed openly disagreed on the matter.But the government appears to be going ahead with the project and recent report said the people are deserting the vicinity and the health facility.
