By Ugochukwu Alaribe

Aba—The member representing Aba North/ Aba South federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Chief Ossy Prestige and the management of Holy Wounds Hospital, located at 169 Faulks road, Aba, Abia state, are currently on war path over the payment of bills of traders who were injured during the alleged shooting by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at Ariaria International market in the city.

The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Uchenna Anyanwu told journalists that the lawmaker has refused to fulfil his promise of settling the bills of injured traders treated by the Hospital.

He stated that when Prestige visited the injured traders at the hospital, he directed the management to forward bills to him which he now declined to pay when it was presented to him.

Vanguard gathered that the hospital bill of the traders presented to the lawmaker amounted to N2.7 million for the four victims.

According to Anyanwu, “Since last week, I have informed the governor, the Commissioner of Police, and the lawmaker representing Aba North/Aba South, Hon. Ossy Prestige that the victims are due to be discharged. The victims are also complaining that they want to go home as they are okay. I have been trying to get in contact these people.

“But two days ago, Hon. Ossy Prestige came here and told me that he wont pay the bills again, that it is too much for him. That I should call the governor.”

But in a swift reaction, Prestige said that the hospital bills appeared to have been inflated because the doctor felt that since he made a promise to them, he must pay any amount of money given him.

“Though I’m not a medical doctor but I’m sure that the cost of operating and removing a bullet lodged in the flesh of the sole of a man’s foot cannot cost up to N600, 000.”