Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Native doctors numbering over 700 Thursday, stormed the Legislative Chambers of the Anambra State House of Assembly with regards to matters relating to the regulatory policy of the state government over their operations.
Anambra State Government had initiated a policy to regulate the operations of the traditional doctors in the state, and began clampdown on some native doctors suspected to be preparing charms for hoodlums and ritualists in the state.
However, the group said their visit to the Assembly complex was to have interaction with the lawmakers, declaring their readiness to partner the state government to achieve her overall objectives particularly in the area of control for its members.
The Chairman of the group, Chief Innocent Okwundu, said the new Anambra law that created Agunechemba security outfit is no doubt a welcome development that is aimed at ensuring safety of all genuine practitioners and residents of the state.
He however pledged to collaborate with the state Assembly to ensure that all grey areas are addressed and clarified to avoid unnecessary intimidation by some persons especially at the rural communities.
The group pleaded with the lawmakers to work towards giving them a law that would guarantee their independence and smooth operations.
Chief Okwundu noted that when this is done, it will also enable them to assist the government in identifying those who had bastadized the traditional practice through unacceptable means.
He claimed that their members under the umbrella of Anambra State Traditional Doctors movement were genuinely practicing without aiding or involving in the Okeite or money ritual saga that many quacks had been involved with.
Speaker of the Assembly, Rt Hon Somtochukwu Udeze, while responding, reminded them that the present administration and the lawmakers meant well for the people of the state, hence the law to protect them.
Represented by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Ikenna Ofodeme, the Speaker said already there was a bill in the making to address most of the grey areas mentioned by the association.
He expressed the hope that when the law is in place, it will bring about synergy and cooperation between the government and the Traditional Doctors in the state.
Udeze reiterated that the registration of practitioners by the state government was free of cost and cautioned community leaders against taking undue advantage of the situation to extort people as government will not take it lightly with anybody found guilty of such.
