Sweepers pick baby boy at rubbish dump

Early morning  sweepers on Friday picked a baby boy who was abandoned  at a rubbish dump at Nibo near Awka, the state capital.

The wife of the state governor,Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano had immediately  adopted the baby and named him Moses.

The Chief Medical Director, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital Amaku, Awka, Dr. Lawrence Ikeakor, who briefed the governor’s wife on the development said the hospital received baby  in a critical condition from state Sweepers.

Ikeakor  said the baby was responding to treatment.

He said  the baby, who weighed 1.25 kilogram, would remain in the incubator for two weeks when it would be expected that the weight would improve to 1.8kg.

Speaking, Mrs. Obiano who disclosed that Baby Moses was  the third abandoned baby rescued  recently assured that she would take full responsibility for the care and upkeep of the baby like  in the previous ones under her NGO- Caring Family Enhancement Initiative.

She said: “ it is my responsibility to care and nurture the baby who may eventually turn-out to be governor of the state in future.”

“On one hand I condemn the act of abandoning the baby but in another breath, I want to commend her for wrapping the baby well and ensuring that he did not suffocate.

“Perhaps, she heeded my previous plea for mothers with unwanted babies to keep them where they can be seen and taken care of. They can drop them near Governor’s Lodge, Fire station or a hospital.”

She  commended  the professionalism of the Doctors, Nurses and management of the hospital for sparing no effort and material in their response to ensure the survival of  the baby.

The governor’s wife enjoined, in the spirit of Easter to “love your neighbour as yourself,” and “Be our brothers and sisters keeper,“ by always looking out to help those in need around us especially in the present harsh economic condition of the country.

(Punch)