Nsima Ekere Visits Victims of Convoy Accident in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

By Franklyn ISONG 

Barely 24 hours after the convoy of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Nsima Ekere, was involved in a ghastly auto-crash along Calabar-Itu Highway [see here], the NDDC boss has visited the victims of the accident at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, today, June 2, 2017.

Mr Ekere was on his way to Calabar, Cross River state, yesterday, to receive the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, when a truck rammed into his convoy causing the death of a policeman instantly, and another who died in the hospital. The accident left some victims who were rushed to the UUTH with various degree of injuries.

At the hospital, the NDDC MD who was received by doctors at the Accident and Emergency Care Unit of the UUTH led by the head of the Unit, Dr Chris Enoch, and the President of the Residents Doctors Association of the UUTH, Dr Aniekan Utuk, sympathised with the victims of the accident and prayed for their quick recovery.

He assured that their hospital bills would be paid by the NDDC and comforted members of the victims’ families whom he met in the hospital during the visit. He stated that the commission would not abandon the victims and their families.

Radar Newspapers account indicates that six policemen and one civilian were on admission as a result of the accident and were responding to medical treatment as at the time of the visit.

This paper gathered that the driver of the truck is said to be in the police custody, while his conductor who sustained injury was among those admitted in the hospital.

Meanwhile, Ekere, while on the visit, also paid the medical bills of two patients who were not part of the accident and were not also known to him. He was simply moved by compassion when he sighted the patients with pathetic health situations on his way out of the hospital.

One of the patients, Mr Friday Johnson Udoh, who hail from Etim Ekpo local government area is suffering from severe body burnt caused by kerosene explosion in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

And the other, Mr Emmanuel Enosek from Ikot Ekpene local government area is at the risk of loosing his right leg after loosing the left leg to the same injury.