5th Anniversary: Garlands For Governor Emmanuel

By Edidiong Albert

In continuation of his streak for life-touching landmark development projects since assuming the mantle of leadership of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel will today commission the just-completed model Centre for Disease Control.

The medical facility, initiated and built by Governor Emmanuel-led administration, was prompted by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, and is the first in Nigeria.
The centre, built within a record-breaking period of 47 days is sited at Methodist General Hospital, Ituk Mbang in Uruan Local Government Area.

It has a 300-bed isolation wing made up of four wards with 75 beds each; 20 ensuite doctors’ quarters; three entrances for the doctors and intercom lines in each ward.

It also has four disinfection rooms for doctors/nurses; 20 fire hose station, canteen, eight consulting offices; four changing rooms; 44 security cameras and fenced round.

Also are two ambulance parks; two emergency exits, virology/clinical laboratory and laundry.

Poised to ensure prompt delivery of the project, the governor executed it under direct labour and placed the supervision under the Commissioner for Works, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-eyen.

Apart from the medical facility, other projects, mostly some roads, are expected to be commissioned today.
It was leant that projects billed for commissioning were scaled down due to the social distancing protocol of COVID-19.

The fifth year anniversary of Gov Emmanuel has enveloped the state’s landscape with festival of thumbs-up for the governor.

Some prominent Akwa Ibom citizens whose opinions were excised from their goodwill messages described Gov Emmanuel as a leader with immeasurable qualities.

RELATED: The Making of Akwa Ibom New Isolation and Treatment Centre

Oku Ibom Ibibio and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Council of Chiefs, Ntenyin (Dr.) Solomon Daniel Etuk, in conveying the felicitations of the traditional rulers in the state, commended the Governor for the steps taken to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Ntenyin Etuk said, “While we were yet extolling your administration for the acquisition and distribution of needed medical facilities and kits like ICUs, ventilators, PPE, amongst others, for hospital and medical personnel; you have gone further to build a state-of-the-art centre for disease control in the state.”
In his goodwill, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District, hailed Gov Emmanuel for being pragmatic in his leadership. “It is quite heartwarming that the facility with four wards, Pharmacy, Laboratory, Doctors Quarters, Medical Director’s Office, canteen, amongst others, will equally offer dire therapeutic services to patients and serve as centre for medical trainees, even after Covid-19; a development that will go a long way to boost medical tourism to Akwa Ibom State.

“Your Excellency, as the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Caucus in the National Assembly, I wish to reiterate the assurances of our continued support and cooperation towards the peace, unity, progress and tranquility of our dear State,” he added.

A leader of a major pan-Akwa Ibom group, Obong Bassey Inuaeyen, Chancellor of Ibom Patriots, said the organization is grateful to God that someone like Governor Emmanuel was brought in to handle the affairs of the state at the time we are in today.

Obong Inuaeyen stated, “Today, the streets of Akwa Ibom State are flowing with peace and security as the people of the state can now go to bed and sleep with their two eyes closed. This can only be achieved through someone ordained by God.

“The way and manner your administration has dutifully handled the COVID-19 pandemic, curbing the spread of the disease and providing relief materials and building Centre for Disease Control is also testament that you were chosen by God to lead us throughout times like this and this has made Ibom Patriots to be very proud of you.

“As we face the post-COVID-19 consequences, we see that you’re already taking steps, as a visionary leader, to ensure that the negative economic impact on the people of the state is mitigated to the barest minimum.”