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- approves recruitment of 2000 health workers, waive voters card
- opens employment portal for health workers only
- To improve health facilities across 31 LGAs
From Isaac Job, Uyo
Akwa Ibom state governor pastor Umo Eno has proposed a supplementary budget of N695b with special focus on health sector delivery in the ARISE agenda of the state government.
Health sector in the state has suffered from facility decay to inadequate manpower raising public outcry on the state of health institutions in the state .
Last month, a pregnant woman and her new born baby died at General Hospital ,Ikot Ekpene during labour.
The incident was trending in the social media as relatives of the deceased were crying on a trending video accusing doctors in the hospital of negligence and calling on governor Umo Eno to intervened.
The state government immediately set up a panel of Inquiry to investigate the incident, make recommendations and submit the report to government in a fortnight.
However, governor Umo Eno during the State Executive Council meeting held at Government House Uyo at the weekend reviewed the administration’s healthcare development roadmap and declared a state of emergency in the health sector with supplementary budget proposal of N965b to the state House of Assembly to tackle health sector reforms as captured in the ARISE agenda of his administration.
According to governor Umo Eno,
“This is to accelerate reforms and further deliver efficient healthcare services in line with the ARISE agenda of the administration.
The Commissioner for Information, Elder Aniekan Umanah, who briefed Government House reporters after the Exco meeting explained that the supplementary budget will address infrastructure deficit in the health sector .
“Key directives under this emergency regime include further upgrade of medical facilities across the state, reopening of the recruitment portal and engagement of 2,000 healthcare workers, with the voters identity card number requirement waived for applicants.”
According to the Commissioner, the Executive Council “further directed the upgrading of health training institutions, enrollment and training of health professionals, as well as the engagement of retired but willing medical personnel on contract basis“.
He said pastor Umo Eno also announced the constitution of an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee, with membership drawn from relevant ministries and agencies, to ensure prompt and efficient implementation of the emergency measures.
Umanah disclosed that the Exco proposed supplementary bill of ₦695b has raised the total budget size of 2025 to ₦1.65 trillion.
He said the breakdown comprises of ₦125,664,328,180 for Recurrent Expenditure and ₦569,335,671,820 for Capital Expenditure.
“The supplementary budget is expected to provide for the implementation of the new minimum wage and personnel emoluments, allowances for NYSC members serving in the State and Akwa Ibom NYSC members serving outside the State.
“Other sectors include :emergency flood and erosion control, completion of ongoing projects affected by inflation, construction of new infrastructure across the State, purchase of Ibom CNG Mass Transit buses, funding for newly created Ministries of Sports, Digital Economy, Humanitarian Services and the Bureau of Rural Development and Cooperatives, the Tree Crop Revolution programme, construction of new housing estates, renovation of the House of Assembly complex, capital provisions for the acquisition of new aircraft, and the development of the ARISE Shopping City.”
