The Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Cross River State branch, Dr Agam Ayuk has said that no amount of intimidation will compel him to call back his members to work unless kidnappers who abducted their colleague’s wife release her.
The members of the Association have been on strike for over seven days, protesting the kidnap of their colleagues’ wife, Mrs Christiana Ekanem.
Mrs Ekanem, a staff of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital was kidnapped in the morning of Tuesday March 10th at about 7am when she was about to enter her car to office at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. She is an assistant director in the Hospital.
Speaking with DAILY POST on Thursday, Dr Ayuk regretted the action of the kidnappers, noting that the abductors of his colleagues’ wife have been in constant contact with the family since she was abducted.
“There has been communication with the family regarding the kidnap of our colleagues’ wife. From what we have been told, negotiation is ongoing, the bottom line is money, they asked for outrageous amount and we hope that they will be considerate enough to get her released on time.
“Today is the 10th day since she was kidnapped. As day’s progresses, we get more worried about the situation. To that extent, we can say that there is communication but when will she be released, we do not know, but we are getting more worried as an Association.”
The Chairman stressed that the Association does not pay ransom on behalf of the kidnapped victim, neither do they make contributions to pay as that was not their policy, pointing out that the burden was solely on the family.
“The evidence we have on ground has not showed that there is political will to get her released. We have written, protested and have gone out on rallies to draw the attention of government, even the State House of Assembly to the increasing number insecurity in the State, but nothing has been done..
“Nobody is saved, the environment is not conducive, we are not talking about protecting ourselves but making the environment conducive for us to do our work, you know we work day and night, a situation where one is on night duty but cannot come out is terrible.
“Today is the 7th day since we withdrew our services, government has not done anything. Governor Ben Ayade held an emergency Security Council meeting and also met with the Inspector General of Police, but up till now we have not heard any outcome of those meetings nor seen changes. The Governor has not briefed us and the security situation is getting more deteriorating. Insecurity is one of the major reasons that investors don’t come to the State.”
According to Dr Ayuk, Doctors in the State are migrating to other countries, stressing “The State has only 33 Doctors in the system and most of them cannot leave because they have approached their retiring age hence they are still there, you can’t see young Doctors in Cross River State any longer. We asked for welfare regarding remuneration because the gap between the federal and states is too wide but nothing came. What we are saying is that do your work to facilitate the release of our colleague’s wife and we will return back to work.
“The total number of our colleagues and dependents who have been kidnapped stood at 16, 9 Doctors and 7 dependents, that is wives and children, the number is one too many, the situation is now sit down and wait for your turn, they asked for money we do not have and you go and borrow to pay, how long should we continue doing this.”
