BY Guest Writer
BY EMMANUEL SAM
Every day the world wakes up to the grim reality of an apocalyptic organism – coronavirus, which is ravaging populations and resources, bringing nations to their knees. This global contagion caught the world completely off guard and fighting to survive. Consequently, countries are harnessing their resources whether in sciences, technology, business relations or diplomacy while reining in their consumption to mitigate the impact of this pandemic on their economy. Sadly, a slump in global demand for crude oil has significant impact on a mono-economy like Nigeria.
In Akwa Ibom state however, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel seems to have anticipated this double jeopardy when he worked tirelessly to diversify the state economy and focused on growing a non-oil sector while also putting a lot of investment in improving the state health sector.
There is no gainsaying the fact that before the current global crisis, Akwa Ibom state was on its way to becoming an international business hot spot in the West African subregion. The state recorded a whooping N24.8 billion, an all-time high in IGR in 2019 and was bound to break that record this year. It made pioneering efforts on several fronts with enviable business models and world class concepts which would help the state feed its people, employ its teeming population and build a robust economy.
In transforming the state healthcare system, the governor focused on providing an optimum service delivery. He put in remarkable effort towards refurbishing secondary health care facilities across the state, fitting them with state-of-the-art equipment and salvaged Ibom Specialty Hospital from rot. He also embarked on training of health workers and recruiting more to replace those retiring. It would not be out of place to state that Governor Udom Emmanuel prepared the state to weather the difficulties of present-day Nigeria.
Accordingly, Governor Emmanuel’s response to the global pandemic is not informed by fear nor panic, but with carefully weighed steps he is taking Akwa Ibom state through the most difficult period in her history, keeping her safe and thriving. More so, as a state chief executive officer, he sees the big picture and knows that if we are to survive, we must not allow emotions becloud our reasoning rather we must take steps to remain on top of the situation as much as possible.
As stated earlier, there is no state or nation that can say it prepared for this pandemic. Even the index country – China, which had dealt with a similar virus (SARS1) before was nearly overwhelmed with the sheer number of infections and the critically ill. Similarly, across the world, even healthcare systems of developed countries are stretched beyond their limits. Learning from these, the governor is focused on preventing spread of the virus in the state.
This informed him taking a very difficult decision to stop religious and social gatherings and putting the state on lock down. To arrive at this, he consulted with leaders of thought, community leaders, civil organizations, experts in epidemiology and public health. Their input was instrumental to policies that are considerate, doable and humane. As such the state is not burdened by draconian decrees and restrictions that only serve to worsen the situation for people.
In this year’s Easter message, the governor who was very concerned about his people’s welfare said, “we thank you, my dear compatriots, for your cooperation in this determined fight to rid our State of this virus, Covid-19. We thank you for your sacrifices and deep understanding.
“It has never happened in our lifetime that free citizens have had to be locked down in their homes, their freedom of movement curtailed and social interaction which is the basis of our communal life stopped. It is unthinkable that our Churches, businesses, offices and shops have been closed down. This is indeed a huge sacrifice. We thank you for enduring the pains”.
Even now, the state’s preparedness to tackle the virus is commendable. Designated isolation centers in Ikot Ekpene and Uyo have been fully equipped and two more 300-bed isolation centers in Uruan and Eket are being constructed. Government has rallied health workers across the state for the fight, providing them with personal protective equipment, PPE. There is seamless coordination of the campaign with relevant federal health and security agencies to curb the spread and enforce lock down and social distancing order.
The secretary to state government, Mr. Emmanuel Ekuwem announced the release of palliatives to the citizenry who have been forced to stay at home and is regularly updating the people to keep them informed. These efforts have begun yielding fruits as the state recently announced the treatment and release of three covid-19 patients out of only six so far recorded in the state.
Looking forward, Governor Emmanuel and his economic team are working to give the state a fighting chance at surviving a far reaching impact of the covid-19 pandemic, which is another recession staring the country in face. According to his commissioner for economic development and Ibom deep seaport, Mr. Akan Okon, the dire economic situation faced by the country will also affect the state unless steps are taken to mitigate it. That is why “we have commenced [remedial] work on the 2020 budget. We will engage the various ministries and will come up with a position.”
He said the objective is to develop policies that will stimulate production at micro and medium scale, meaning that basic essentials like food and beverages will be produced locally since as it becomes more difficult to patronize imported goods. The governor relies on return on investment in the agricultural sector to provide food for the teeming populace, raw materials for local industries. Also, entrepreneurs will be given needed support to operate and do their businesses in a way that will boost the economy.
It is fitting therefore to conclude this article with a quote from Governor Udom Emmanuel’s 2020 Easter message titled ‘What affects one, affects all’. It reads:
“I have made elaborate plans for relief materials to be given to our people across the State. The food items, such as Flour were sourced from our flour mill, the rice, from our rice mills in Ini and Garri from our processing plants located in all the senatorial districts of the State. It is a moment such as this, that has borne out the vision I brought to the State, to make us food sufficient and ensure that our staple food items are readily available and at affordable price range. At the same time, our syringe manufacturing company has risen to the occasion producing medical consumables to meet the rising demands of the time. This, again, is the testament to our vision in health care delivery”.
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