7th February, 2012
Ajaokuta Steel Company Medical Centre, Ajaokuta, Kogi State, north central Nigeria has been shut since the bomb attack on the Steel City last Friday.
P.M.NEWS correspondent who visited the hospital learnt that the medical centre was shutdown by the staff of the hospital who insisted that the management must provide adequate security for them before they resume work.
During the attack, a medical doctor attached to the centre, Dr. Ameh, who lost his life recently in a gun attack, was returning home from the hospital where he had gone to attend to a patient on danger list.
Nevertheless, the patient died on Sunday.
Investigation revealed that security and other staff welfare matters have been causing a rift between the workers and the hospital management for some time now.
The problem it was learnt dates back to the days of the former medical director of the medical centre, Dr. Ida.
Dr Ida had insisted that accommodation and security be provided by the management for personnel but resigned when these conditions were not met.
According to some of the hospital workers who did not want their names to be mentioned, the medical centre was shutdown to force the management to look into their demands.
This development is now forcing residents of Ajaokuta to patronise private hospitals.
Meanwhile, residents of the area have continued to react to the bomb attack on the town.
Madam Khadijat Anetu, who operates a catering outfit and lives near the scene of the incident, told P.M.NEWS: “I closed late that day. I was in the bathroom when I heard the first explosion, followed by the noices of people who were running for their lives. I later heard sporadic gunshots.
“I first thought it was a NEPA transformer that exploded as light went off and the gunshot subsided. Then I heard another explosion which was louder than the first one. It was as if our house would collapse. I became so terrified as I saw smoke from the police duty post,” she narrated.
A relative of one of the victims who suffered gunshot wounds during the attack, Miss Ojuolape Balogun, was happy that God spared her brother’s life.
She, however, alleged that the state police command handled the matter with levity.
—Femi aluko/ Ajaokuta