Follow Us on Google
From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
A student of Taraba State Polytechnic, Iorhee Paul, has pleaded with the state governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, to help provide him with prosthetic hands.
Paul, whose two hands were amputated, made the appeal in Jalingo. He also urged the state government to employ him so that he could earn a living and cater for his immediate needs.
Our correspondent reports that Paul survived electrocution while hoisting a party flag to welcome Vice President Kashim Shettima to the 2025 Taraba State Investment Summit (TARVEST).
He noted that during the incident, the Taraba State Government, through the governor’s physician, Dr Danga, promised him prosthetic hands after his wounds had healed, but he said he was still waiting several months after recovering.
Paul explained that Taraba State Polytechnic, where he was studying before the incident that led to the amputation of his two hands, had promised to train him at its skills acquisition centre.
“I am not making the demands alone. I want to sincerely thank Governor Agbu Kefas for sponsoring my medical bill and the subsequent release of N500,000 after I was discharged from the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Jalingo. The money helped me in no small measure in treating some of the wounds that were not fully healed.
Other News
“If by chance, I would love to see Governor Agbu Kefas and express my appreciation to him and also tell him the challenges I am currently facing. I can no longer hold a pen and write, but I can operate a cell phone without any assistance from anyone. That is to tell you that I school online.
“I am also pleading with the state government, philanthropists and well-to-do individuals to please come to my aid by providing me with prosthetic hands and other things that will help me recover from this trauma, because this is a new life for me altogether,” he said.
Responding, Dr Danga I. Danga, personal physician to Governor Kefas and the doctor handling Paul’s case, said prosthetic limbs would be provided only when he had fully recovered.
Dr Danga explained that another surgery would be carried out before artificial limbs could be considered.
“The prosthetic hands, I am discussing with the Chief Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) of the National Orthopaedic Hospital. The idea is that the wound must be completely healed before you can think of artificial hands. If you see him very well, there is what is called contracture. You can see that on the left, it is almost getting to the arm. The CMAC told me there will be another surgery so that the place can be opened. So it will take a little time.
“The cosmetic surgeon is not always in Jalingo. He comes from Enugu State,” he said.
