By Onwa Ekor, Calabar.
Swiss-owned firm, De Medical AG, is set to establish an ultra-modern health centre in Calabar as well as a drone manufacturing plant in Tinapa.
Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, disclosed this during the first executive council meeting held at the Council of Chiefs Chamber in Calabar, Wednesday.
He added that as part of the gains of his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a 5,000 hectare modern technology for precision farming and data driven crop management, will also be put in place by Netiol Incorporated.
He remarked that his administration will see to the completion of the upgrade of the Ikom health facility to a General Hospital in the first quarter of this year. Other projects the governor strives to achi are the rejigging of the State Health Insurance Scheme, employment of more medical staff and upgrade of facilities in the state-owned Colleges of Nursing, to boost quality nursing education.
On optimal service rendition, Otu tasked members of the State Executive Council (SEC) to brace up for optimal performance to justify their appointments.
“With the successful ending of 2023, and our entrance into 2024, it behoves on us all to sit up to our responsibilities and increase the happiness of those whose destinies have been placed on us to govern,” the Governor said.
According to him, “10 sectoral clusters have been identified through which all MDAs shall be grouped to collaborate in developing their Action Plans for speedy and impactful results.
“This approach is highly necessary to ensure that cluster members learn from each other, utilize their time and energy in place of inactivity and unproductive pursuits, and above all, benefit from the expected policy and project peer review which emanates from there,” the governor stated.
On the clusters, he said, “every MDA is expected to draw up a proper Action Plan indicating goals, activities and timelines through a series of periodic meetings with its management.
“At Cluster meetings, comprising several MDA’s, these will be strengthened through collaborative scrutiny until perfection is attained.
“Thereafter, clusters will be meeting periodically as well, where every MDA will be expected to report on its achievements to the hearing of all.
“At the end of every quarter, performance evaluation will be carried out and a ranking order made public,” he informed.
The governor argued that the system will keep the entire government machinery in full and guided activity as well as enable him wherever and whenever to have a full grasp of cabinet members and MDA’s performance.
