Resident Doctors Honour Ayade With Champion Of Industrialization Award, Laud Him Over Security

EMMANUEL ULAYI

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar chapter, on Tuesday honoured Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade, with an award in recognition of his giant industrialization strides.

The association also commended the Governor for putting in place security mechanisms, including Operation Akpakwu, which has curtailed incidences of crime in the state.

Members of the association, who paid a courtesy call on Ayade at the conference room of the Governor’s Office, Calabar, said they came to present him with the Champion of Industrialization Award in recognition of his strides in industrializing the state.

President of the Association, Dr. Godwin Udoh, praised Ayade for his strides in various sectors of economy and pledged the union’s unflinching support for his administration, especially in the area of healthcare delivery.

“Your Excellency, we have taken note of your giant strides in various sectors of Cross River’s economy and we are satisfied with your performance.”

“In the area of industrialisation, Calachika, rice factory, Noodles factory, Cally Air among others are all there for everyone to see”, Dr. Udo said.

On the health sector, the NARD President commended the Governor for upgrading the School of Midwifery, Itigidi, to a full fledged School of Nursing, the renovation and equipping of the General Hospital, Calabar and the introduction of Health Insurance Scheme in the state.

Dr. Udoh expressed delight that since the introduction of Operation Akpakwu, Medical Doctors in the state no longer suffer kidnap by criminals.

“The security architecture you introduced in the state has hugely saved Medical Doctors the nightmare of incessant kidnap as witnessed in the past. We thank you for this, Your Excellency,” he said.

Responding, Governor Ayade thanked them for the honour, saying it is an elixir that will spur him to do more.

The Governor likened his industrialization drive to the agro-industrial revolution in Britain, which allows you to develop and provide jobs at the same time.

“How else can you explain that Cross River, a state that is number 35 out of 36 in terms of Federal allocation, reduced to want in body, in spirit and in finance, yet has the highest number of newly built industries? Nobody can contradict me on this,” the Governor stated.

Continuing, he told the visiting doctors that “In the history of this country, no Governor has built the number of industries I have built and I built those industries based on a scientific background”.

He described Agro- industrialisation as a veritable means of job creation in the state with a view to reducing crime as well as “the primary step to actually hand-hold a state out of poverty and create a prosperity agenda.”