Niger Delta

A’Ibom To Establish Renal Treatment Centre

Published

2 years ago

November 6, 2023

The Akwa Ibom State Government says plans are underway to establish a Renal Treatment Centre in the State to reduce prevalence of cancer and renal cases among its citizens.
The State Governor, Umo Eno, disclosed this during his interaction with management staff of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) who paid him a courtesy visit in Government House on Tuesday.
Eno expressed displeasure over the prevalence of cancer and renal cases among the people, stressing that government would not fold its arms and watch.
He urged medical experts to sensitise the public on the rise of renal diseases and cancer and measures to checkmate it with a view to reversing the trend.
“On the issue of renal failure, we are working towards that and coincidentally just this morning, I went on inspection of the site and we are trying to open a Medical corridor along the Ibom Specialist Hospital axis.
“We are working hard and we have identified the site and we are trusting God that we will be able to get it started.
“I have been promised that within one year, if the funds are available, the centre will be operational”, Eno said.
Eno said his administration has improved in healthcare services by revamping the primary healthcare sector for efficiency, reduce traffic on the secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions across the State.
The Governor expressed the determination of his administration to ensure that every local government area across the State has a model healthcare institution before the end of his tenure.
He said capacity building in the health sector would receive special consideration as health staff would be trained and employed even as modalities have been put in place for the commencement of Health Insurance Scheme before the end of the year.
“On Health Insurance, I believe we have gone far, we trust that in the next one month, we will kick start health insurance scheme in the State’’.

“The ARISE Agenda is focused on Primary Healthcare and as you know the secondary healthcare was really taken care of in the last administration.

“However, there was a disconnect because a lot of people don’t have access to the healthcare facilities in the rural communities, so when you talk about the hospital being a general hospital in Uyo that shows that there’s a gap.

“We are driving the primary healthcare and believe that by the time we leave office we should be able to at least have a Model Primary Healthcare Centre in every Local Government and Companies in our communities and Donor Agencies can adopt this model for us.

“We should be able to put Ambulances around our Local Government to help our people as we promised during our campaigns and by the grace of God we will do the best we can”, he said.

The Governor urged the UUTH Management to consider a Gas Turbine as alternative means of power generation to save costs and commended the management for their services to Akwa Ibom people.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of UUTH Prof. Ememabasi Bassey, expressed optimism that as a successful entrepreneur, the governor would bring his wealth of experience to bear in piloting the State’s affairs.

Bassey commended the governor for the priority given to the health sector in his ARISE Agenda blueprint, adding that UUTH will support the administration in its quest to deliver on the agenda.

The medical director, however, listed its challenges to include dearth of infrastructure, power generation, inadequate manpower, poor funding, among others.

He added that in spite of the setbacks, UUTH has recorded tremendous strides in the area of renovation and construction of new buildings, Services delivery, setting up of the Accident and Emergency Unit.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.