By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has said that investment made in healthcare by his administration has made the state one of the lowest in infectious diseases.
Emmanuel who stated this in a broadcast to the people of the state to mark 33rd anniversary of its creation on Wednesday maintained that such investment also came in handy during the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Governor said his administration remained committed to the rehabilitation of 10 general hospitals in the state in addition to increased investment in primary health care.
“Before the world was confronted with this pandemic, we had already set up a fully functional Isolation centre equipped with the most modern amenities at the Ibom Specialist Hospital, supported by a functional Intensive Care Unit (ICU.)
“We did that, because long before Covid-19 had arrived our shores, we were prepared for other deadly diseases such as Lassa fever, Chicken Pox, monkey pox etc.
” Today, because of the leadership we have provided, our State has recorded one of the lowest rates of infections and fatalities in the nation. We have established two PCR laboratories, one of the most by any State Government in the nation and one which the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu commended as the best in the nation.
“Our commitment to reconstructing hospitals in all the 10 Federal constituencies is on-going and well on course. In the course of marking our 33rd anniversary, we will commission two (2) world-class health care facilities at the old Immanuel Hospital at Eket and old Cottage Hospital in ONNA respectively.
“Our imported world class medical equipment have arrived and most have been cleared and ready for distribution to various hospitals. As part of our Completion Agenda, healthcare will remain a key priority of this Government because as I have always said, we need a healthy population to drive our industrialization agenda.” He said.
In Education, the Governor said, efforts are being made to prepare children from the state to be competitive in the technology driven world of the 21 Century economy while the state has made giant strides in aviation developemt while great strides have been made in aviation.
“In Aviation development we have achieved huge strides. June last year, Ibom Air began its commercial flight operations with two aircrafts. Today, a little over a year after it commenced operations, we have added three almost brand new aircrafts, bringing the total fleet to five.
“We are determined to become the aviation hub in the Gulf of Guinea and our terminal building which work is on-going promises to be a model in this part of Africa. Work too is on-going on our MRO facility.” He said.
Emmanuel commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the licence for the Liberty Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone and expressed optimism that Ibom Deep Seaport project would be realized in the course of the present administration.
The plan for electricity for all by 31st December, 2021 he said remained in focus while calling on stakeholders in the sector to cooperate with the state to ensure the realization of the project.
“On this 33 years of our Anniversary, may it mark the beginning of our release to experience the fulfilment of our huge potentials as a State.As our strength was when this State was created so is it now and he who brought us into this land shall give us every mountain that we want in this country .” He concluded.
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