Calabar—A distinguished group of Cross River State Government officials and professionals were honoured on Thursday at the combined graduation and induction ceremony of the Research Gateway Professional Institute (RGP) and the College of Health Technology (COHTECH), Calabar. The event, which held at the EU Prime Hall in the college premises, recognised the awardees for their outstanding contributions to governance, youth development, public service, and educational advancement NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
The recipients of the RGP Fellowship awards included:
* Emmanuel Ironbar, Chief of General Staff to the governor of Cross River state
* Archibong Etim Bassey, Chairperson, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council.
* Dunamis Archibong Okpo, Senior Special Assistant on Political Affairs to the state governor;
* Ayi Etim Effiong, Executive Secretary, Calabar Urban Development Authority;
* Hon. Bassey Mensah, Commissioner for Water Resources, Cross River State;
* Patrick Egobo Egbede;
* Mr. Raphael Murphy, Special Adviser on Project Monitoring and Evaluation;
* Archibong Emmanuel, Executive Secretary, Technical Education Board;
* Frank Umo, Special Adviser on Religious Matters;
* Grace Otu Effiong;
* Nkoyo Otu, Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs;
* Kelvin-Joseph Enyam, Special Assistant on Student Affairs;
* Boniface Okache, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor;
* Dr. Virginia Ironbar, Director of the Pre-Degree Programme, University of Calabar;
* Effiong Umoh, Director-General, Cross River State TRAMRA.
The fellowship awards, presented by the management of RGP in conjunction with COHTECH, were in recognition of the recipients’ dedication to public service, educational reforms, infrastructure development, and youth empowerment in Cross River State.
Delivering the keynote, Rev. Dr. ThankGod Onda Arong, the President and CEO of Research Gateway Professional Institute, lauded the awardees for their roles in advancing the objectives of good governance and functional education. He noted that the Institute’s ongoing empowerment efforts are significantly enhanced by the goodwill and leadership of such individuals in government and civil society.
The event also featured the graduation of over 1,700 individuals who completed certified training programs in healthcare and vocational skills under the RGP-COHTECH collaboration. Many of the graduands benefitted from full scholarships under the RGP 1,000 Youth Empowerment Initiative launched in 2023.
Graduands were inducted into various health and professional fields and received certificates endorsed by G-12 African Private Universities and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF). A major highlight of the event was the official launch of a Healthcare Professional Guide, aimed at strengthening ethical practices and skills among frontline health workers, especially in gender-based violence (GBV) response.
In his remarks, Dr. Ita Ikpeme, Provost of COHTECH, commended the RGP-COHTECH partnership for promoting community-based health and vocational education. He encouraged the new inductees to uphold professional excellence and integrity in their practice.
The valedictorian and graduand of Geriatric Care studies, SSA Dunamis Okpo, who was also one of the awardees delivered goodwill messages on behalf of the state government, reaffirming the Bassey Otu administration’s support for people-oriented programs.
On her part, Archibong Bassey the Chair of the NUJ in the state expressed pleasant surprise at the acknowledgement. While pledging to be of continued service to the public observed that “I had never thought that I would be celebrated in such magnitude and short notice”.
Arong announced upcoming programs, including a free Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Level 1 Training scheduled for August 2025, and plans to train 5,000 youths annually through expanded partnerships. He also appealed for public and private sector support in addressing key challenges faced by the institute—such as the need for a permanent site, ICT equipment, mobility support, and vocational training tools.
