Hon. Victor Abang
By Raphael Ekpang
The House of Representatives on Tuesday mandated it Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Niger Delta Ministry, as well as that on Legislative Compliance to ensure that NDDC complete the Specialist Hospital, Ikom local government area of Cross River State.
This was sequel to a motion titled. “Call on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to Complete Specialist Hospital, Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River” moved at the floor of the Green Chambers by Honourable Victor Abang (APC) representing Boki/Ikom Federal Constituency and seconded by Hon. Erhiatake Ibori.
While moving the motion, Hon Abang said that the Federal Executive Council approved a 1.2 billion naira project for the construction of a Specialist hospital in Cross River in 2012, but nine years later, the deteriorating building remains uncommissioned
Abang noted that the NDDC in 2012/2013 awarded the contract for the construction of the Specialist hospital to Messers Emostrade Engineering Limited to the sum of #1, 214,847,450.28 (one billion, two hundred and fourteen million eight hundred and forty-seven thousand, four hundred and fifty naira, twenty-eight Kobo);
Core Reporters report that the hospital was designed to serve as a Specialist Hospital to cater for the health needs of the communities in Cross River State and the neighbouring States;
Hon Abang said, “a one-story building with a total floor area of 7052m2 was to be constructed and completed approximately within 26 months in 2015, and the place is now in a terrible state, denying the people essential medical services;
“The contractor’s failure to complete the project has caused hardship for members of the communities, leaving them vulnerable to private hospitals and clinic owners,” he said.
Meanwhile, expressed worried that since the abandonment of work in 2015, the site has become farmland, with grass overtaking the proposed specialist hospital, thereby causing frustration among residents due to inaccessible quality healthcare services.
The motion was voted on, adopted and referred to the House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, Niger Delta Ministry, as well as that on Legislative Compliance.
