Gov Emmanuel commissions medical gas plant in A’Ibom

…As Chair Council of Chiefs gets new official residence

… Additional 19.4 new road projects inaugurated in Ibesikpo, Uyo metropolis

As part of activities to mark the 6th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel in office, a Medical Gas and Vacuum Plant, at the Infectious Diseases Control Center, General Hospital, Ituk Mbang in Uruan Local Government Area, has been commissioned.

The Governor of Sokoto State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who performed the project inauguration described Governor Udom Emmanuel as a visionary, resourceful and purpose-driven leader whose pragmatic leadership style in the state has been felt through his people-oriented projects, noting with delight that the Governor’s performance has earned him respect even among other governors in the country.

Governor Tambuwal who is also the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, said the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Governors are very proud of the Udom Emmanuel led administration in the state

“He has provided leadership, he is very resourceful to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and indeed the Federal Government of Nigeria”, he stated.

Governor Tambuwal described the Medical Gas and Vacuum Plant as a significant project in the State, adding that it as an investment that Akwa Ibom people will ever live to cherish.

“I congratulate you on your 6th anniversary and for choosing to commission this plant as described by the Commissioner for Health that is very key to the lives of the people, just look at it Medical Gas and Vacuum Plant which is for saving of lives, is there any other project?

“No investment can be better than investment in health, no investment can be better than investment in human capital development, no investment can be better than investment in the future of youths in their employment and that of our women, and all of these are what Governor Udom Emmanuel is doing in Akwa Ibom State, how can we not be proud of him”, Tambuwal noted.

Speaking earlier, Governor Udom Emmanuel, restated that his vision in the health sector was driven by his passion to ensure that the people had access to quality health care delivery facilities, announcing that with the installation of the Medical Gas and Vacuum Plant, the Isolation Center could be converted to a Critical Care Center in a Post- Covid era.

Hear him, “With the plant we are commissioning today, this Isolation Center can be converted into what we call Critical Care Center in a Post- Covid era, and as the need arises we’ll keep doing more. So why are we doing it.

“I remember same time last year during this period, when we came here to commission this facility I promised that this will be one of the best general hospitals in this state and probably in this country that you need a secondary healthcare system”, he declared.

He promised to build more facilities that will train Akwa Ibom people to become experts in specialized fields.

In his words, “We need to look at training a lot of people here because we can’t be going to bring consultants from other places we must train our people, that is the essence of all these equipment here, so we are going to look at how to setup facilities here for training”.

Presenting an overview of the project, the Commissioner for Health Prof. Augustine Umoh, said the plant is capable of producing 100,000 litres of oxygen per hour and is the largest in the country wirh two compressors which ensures that even if anything happens to one the other one is still active.

“The plant also has a filling bay which you can come with your with your cylinder and refill, and it can refill up to 30 cylinders per day, and because of its large capacity, it can be upgraded to fill up to 120 cylinders a day.”

“This plant also has the capacity to supply gas to any hospital however big it is even if it is a 2000 bed capacity hospital”.

“We have a 24-cylinder bay within it that supplies oxygen to the Isolation Centre so that inside that place all you need to do is just turn on the oxygen piping and that 95% oxygen is available to give life”, he stated.

The Governor later led the Sokoto state Governor to commission a new Palace constructed by his administration for the Chairman, State Council along Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo.

In a related development, the Governor on Friday inaugurated 28 internal roads totaling 17.1 Kilometers in Uyo metropolis, with a promise to construct more roads to boost economic activities and security in the State.

At Ewet Housing Extension, Osong Ama in Uyo, Governor Emmanuel stressed the need to open up the state capital for industrial development and economic growth, while creating the right environment to attract investors.

He expressed satisfaction over the quality of road construction done by HENSEK Construction Company and other companies handling the road projects, adding that the project has opened the entire Ewet Housing Extension and other roads, encouraging new businesses in the area.

The roads inaugurated yesterday include; 19 internal roads in Ewet Housing Extension (Phase 1) 6.2KM, Multiple Grace School Road 1.5KM, Clement Isok Street, Nkan Avenue 1.4KM, Heartland School Road 1KM, Sylvanus Annette Cresent 1KM, Essien Inyang Street 0.6km, Pastor Simon Umoren Lane 0.6km.

Similarly, the Governor also inaugurated a 2.1km internal roads in Ikot Akpabin, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government and approved an additional 1km road to be constructed in Ikot Akpabin, noting that the road projects are fulfillments of his promise to touch the rural communities through development and empowerment programmes encapsulated in the Completion Agenda of his administration to benefit the rural communities and stimulate the economy in the rural areas.

Presenting an overview of the road projects inaugurated, the Commissioner of Works and Fire Service, Prof. Eno Ibanga, expressed appreciation to Governor Udom Emmanuel for intervening in the poor state of internal roads in Uyo, and assured government of the quality of roads which would last up to 15 years.

Prof. Ibanga explained that the Governor has transformed Ikot Akpabin from a rural community into a city making life more comfortable to the people.

Meanwhile, residents and business operators around the Mechanic Village in Afaha Offot, and Akpasak Estate along the Airport Road, all within Uyo Metropolis, witnessed the commissioning of more internal roads executed by Governor Emmanuel to ease free flow of traffic and business activities in the state capital.

The roads include the 2.3km Mechanic Village- Udoeyen Road, the Sir Mendo, Edem George and Streets as well as the Akpasak Estate access road measuring One kilometre.