AKHA COMMITTEE ON FINANCE & APPROPRIATION: 2ND QUARTER APPRAISAL OF MDAs.

…Ibom Specialist Hospital was never completed – Dominic Ukpong.

The Akwa State House of Assembly has charged the Commissioner of Health to make his wealth of experience count in his discharge of duties as the helmsman in the Health Sector.

The charge was handed down when the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation played host to the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong at the Conference Room of the Assembly.

The Chairman of the Committee, Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudoh who presided over the meeting appreciated the efforts of the Commissioner and his team in the Ministry for putting up their best to enhance a functional health care sector in the State.

While making his presentation, The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong lamented about the dilapidated state of health care facilities in the state, lack of qualified health care deliverers, inadequate job satisfaction incentives and other negative working environments.

In the case of the Ibom Specialist Hospital, Dr. Dominic Ukpong made bold to intimate the House Committee that the Hospital was not near its completion, “I wish to put the records straight that the Ibom Specialist Hospital was never completed”, he maintained.

Dr. Ukpong appreciated the ideas of the progenitor of the Ibom Specialist Hospital as a well thought of vision, but decried that out of the 41 billion Naira earmarked for the execution of the hospital, after evaluating what was on the ground, only about 14 billion Naira was put to use in the uncompleted edifice.

The Commissioner of Health informed the House Committee that a sum 14 billion Naira is required to complete the edifice, equip to standard and recruitment of qualified medical personnel to put to adequate use.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudoh empathized with the Ministry on their plight, and urged the Commissioner to put up his best for the betterment of Akwa Ibom citizens, but was optimistic that something good will come out of that place through the intervention of Governor Udom Emmanuel, “Honestly, it is pathetic! But we believe that you will bring your wealth of experience to bear in resuscitating the health sector of the State and we are optimistic that our amiable Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel will continue to assist the Ministry”.

A member of the committee, Hon. Asuquo Nana Udo (Ikono) appreciated the efforts of the Commissioner and charged him to ensure that the Ibom Specialists Hospital is completed and put to optimal use.

On his part, Hon. Godwin Ekpo (Ibiono Ibom) frowned at the situation were a Hospital that is not productive but required more funds to be sunk into and he also pondered if there is a possibility of such hospital to be profitable.

Nsisong ‘Roddy’ Etukudo