Effraya, Cross River – The Cross River State Government has raised serious concerns about the inadequate handling of ongoing hospital construction projects in the state. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, conveyed the government’s dissatisfaction during his inspection tour of an abandoned referral hospital in Effraya, Etung Local Government Area NEGROIDHAVEN can report authoritatively.
Dr. Ayuk criticized what he described as a “blatant violation of bidding and contractual obligations” by awarding a contract of such magnitude to direct labor rather than a reputable engineering firm. He expressed dismay at the level of work completed, estimating it to be less than 30 percent.
The Commissioner also questioned why the Ministry of Health was excluded from its supervisory role in overseeing the project. He directed the State Department of Medical Services to investigate the project’s funding, expenditures, and current status regarding the ongoing construction of general hospitals in Effraya, Etung, and Akpabuyo Local Government Areas.
Dr. Ayuk reassured Cross Riverians of the government’s commitment to revitalizing healthcare services in underserved local government areas, with a particular focus on Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Etung, Boki, and Ikom LGAs. He emphasized the administration’s dedication to completing all ongoing health projects in alignment with its ‘People First’ agenda, especially in the healthcare sector.
The State Director of Medical Services, Dr. Stephen Agbor, commended the Commissioner for addressing concerns related to project execution and completion. He highlighted the significance of these hospitals to the people of the state, particularly rural communities and their neighbors.
In response to questions regarding the project’s poor execution, the site engineer, Innocent Tateh, explained that the project was managed through direct labor under the direction of higher authorities.
It’s worth noting that in 2021, the previous administration initiated the construction of a Referral Hospital in Obudu, Etung, and Akpabuyo LGAs, with one hospital in each of the state’s three senatorial districts. Of the three, only the Obudu-German Specialist Hospital was completed, commissioned, and is now operated under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement with Coscharis. The construction of the other two hospitals is still in progress.
