Dear ALL
Find below NMA's open letter to the Inspector General of Police on the disruption of the peaceful protest embarked upon by members in Imo State:
OPEN LETTER TO INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE
REF: NMA/PRE/SG/02/01038
9th February, 2016.
Inspector General of Police
Nigerian Police Headquarters
Louise Edet House,
Abuja
Dear Sir,
A CALL FOR A PROBE AND RESTITUTION ON THE VIOLENT DISRUPTION OF A PEACEFUL PROTEST EMBARKED UPON BY MEMBERS OF NIGERIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION IMO STATE ON THURSDAY 4TH FEBRUARY 2016 BY MEMBERS OF THE NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE IN OWERRI IMO STATE.
The attention of The Nigerian Medical Association has been drawn to the incidents leading to lethal violence meted out to medical doctors and resulting from the botched attempts of members in Imo state chapter to bring to the notice of the state governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha and the entire citizens of the state the negative developments unfolding in the public healthcare delivery sector in Imo state on Thursday 4th February 2016.
The national secretariat of the noble association is aware as we gathered that the officers of the Association in the state sought and got the cooperation of the state command of Nigerian Police Force to enable them embark on the peaceful demonstration without violence or rowdiness should infiltrators from members of the public join the group.
NMA is therefore in shock that an orderly procession of unequivocally identifiable members of the medical profession who have previously sought and gotten the assurance of protection from the police could be so assaulted with tear gases and other forms of brutality leading to the infliction of a deadly injury to the head of one of them.
The Nigerian Medical Association wishes to state that the action of the police in contradiction to the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended in chapters 39 & 40, and various judgements of the competent courts of jurisdiction in Nigeria including the Court of Appeal as it concerns the inalienability of the citizens? right to Peaceful Assembly and Association; freedom of Movement and those of Thought and Conscience, is unfortunate and shocking. Our Association also recognises that whereas democracy guarantees the expression of dissenting opinions through protests, rallies and demonstrations as long as the people do not constitute themselves into an unholy assembly or riotous crowd, the brutal dispersion of doctors? peaceful march is unbecoming of an organisation that is statutorily entrusted with the protection of lives.
In the light of the foregoing therefore, NMA as a law abiding professional association wishes to state unambiguously that the draconian, vindictive and violent action meted out to our members who were simply bemoaning their fate in the face of the mistreatment they are subjected to by Imo state government stands condemnable before all men and women of good conscience.
The Association therefore demands as follows;
i. The police officer and his/her commander who fired/ ordered the firing of the near fatal missile that injured our member Dr.Bede Azudialo be identified and subjected to appropriate action according to the law; and the hospital bills incurred in the course of his treatment be borne by the so-identified officer/s.
ii. All expressed as well as conceived threats against the executive and other members of NMA in Imo state be withdrawn immediately and their safety guaranteed as law abiding citizens of Nigeria are entitled to.
iii. The erring officer and/or the Imo state Command of the Nigerian Police Force should offer an unreserved apology to Dr. Azudialo, Imo state chapter of the NMA and Nigerian doctors in general.
iv. That on no account should members of the Association again in the future be harassed and threatened with death in the hands of the members of the Nigerian Police Force in Owerri, Imo state or any other parts of Nigeria; while admonishing the state police command not to take sides unnecessarily with the state government on issues of labour unrest as our members and other citizens of Nigeria have a guaranteed right under the constitution to say no to oppressive, repressive and draconian policies of the government.
We wish to restate that Nigerian Medical Association acknowledges the precarious nature of various stresses the nation is facing today and would always work as partners with government and her agencies towards rebuilding our nation from its foundations. It therefore behoves on us as the custodians of the peoples? health to say no whenever certain policies that are inimical to the availability, affordability and efficiency of healthcare are formulated and implemented in any part of the country.
Please be assured of the regards of our highest esteem as we join hands to build a better, safer and progressive nation.
Yours faithfully,
Signed:
Dr. Kayode OBEMBE Dr. Adewunmi ALAYAKI
President Secretary General
Nigerian Medical Association Nigerian Medical Association
Cc:
Honourable Minister of Health
Honourable Minister of State for Health
Governor of Imo State
Commissioner of Health, Imo State
Director of State Security Service
Chairman, NMA Imo State.
No comments:
Post a Comment