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Tag: Cross River

  • Cross River closes 14 health facilities

    The Cross River Private Hospital Regulatory Board has shut down 14 health facilities in the state for medical quackery and substandard operations.

    The Chairman of the Board, Dr Norbert Mogar, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Calabar, said the facilities were shut down between 2017 and 2019.

    Mogar listed some of the facilities shut down to include, Destiny Medical Consult in Calabar, Holy Trinity Clinic and Maternity in Bekwarra Local Government and Divine Favour Clinic and Maternity in Ugaga in Yala.

    According to him, the intensified surveillance was carried out with a view to curbing the rate of medical quackery in the state, especially in the remote areas.

    He said action had prevented the reckless and unwarranted loss of lives and morbidities at varying degree through anti-quackery crusade.

    The private hospital regulatory board was inaugurated in 2007.

    It has shut down not less than 14 health facilities for medical quackery and substandard operations from 2017 to date.

    While highlighting the achievements of the board in three years, Mogar said it carried out a mapping of all private facilities across the state for easy evaluation.

    He said that the board also developed a regulatory framework for the monitoring and regulating of private facilities in the state.

    The Board also recovered some facilities that were operating illegally without government licence while such facilities are now registered and paying taxes and other levies to the government.

    According to him, the board also established a strong bond with stakeholders in the state health sector and security agencies for effective and efficient enforcement of the regulations.

    “Through the closure of some of these quack facilities, the Board was able to guarantee the utilisation of government facilities by residents.

    “Also, we have returned a degree of sanity to the private health sector, as those offering the services have been kept on their toes through routine inspection activities,’’ he said.

    Mogar thanked Gov. Ben Ayade of the state for appointing him and other members of the board to serve in his administration within the period under review.

    He appealed as the governor planned to dissolve his government for a transition, the board should be re-constituted to continue its fight against quackery in the state and save lives.

    He commended the Ministry of Health and The Nigerian Medical Association for their robust support in the fight against quackery in the state, adding their collaboration and commitment had helped the board immensely.

  • I’ll ensure southern district gets C/River 2023 guber ticket– Gov. Ayade

    Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River has restated his commitment to ensuring that the southern Senatorial District of the state produces the next governor in 2023.

    Ayade, who spoke on a phone-in radio programme on Saturday in Calabar, insisted that equity and fairness dictates that the next governor of Cross River must come from that zone.

    The governorship slot in the state has been rotational within the three Senatorial Districts in the state.

    Former governor Donald Duke from the South served for eight years between 1999 and 2007.

    Thereafter, former governor Liyel Imoke from the Central also served for eight years between 2007 and 2015 while Gov. Ayade from the North was elected into office in 2015 and has won his re-election for a second term.

    “In fairness and equity, 2023 is the turn of the South and that was the commitment I gave. I will use every fiber in me to ensure that the next governor comes from the southern Senatorial District.

    “Having insisted on keeping fidelity with the political zoning arrangement in the state in the run up to my re-election, it is therefore, incumbent on me to ensure that the south takes its turn to produce governor in 2023.

    “Fairness is fairness, equity is equity. I have preached equity, so it is my turn to do equity,” the governor said.

    Ayade also used the interview to disclose his plans in ensuring gender balance in his next cabinet.

    He said that there would be more women in his government in this dispensation.

  • INEC confirms electoral materials hijack in 4 Cross River councils

    INEC confirms electoral materials hijack in 4 Cross River councils

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River has confirmed the hijack of electoral materials in four local government areas of the state.

    The local government areas are Abi, Bakassi, Obubra and Etung.

    The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr Frankland Briyai, confirmed the development shortly after monitoring the voting process at some polling units in Calabar Municipality and Calabar South.

    He said that report of hijack at Yakurr Local Government Area of the state was yet to be confirmed, noting that the commission would record zero scores in all areas where materials were hijacked.

    “We have had cases of hijack of materials today. I got a call on hijack of materials in Abi, Bakassi, Obubra and Etung Local Government Areas.

    “In Yakurr Local Government Area, I got a call concerning hijack of materials but I am yet to confirm that.

    “I have said it before, if they deliberately refuse to make use of the card reader by hijacking electoral materials, the affected areas will score zero.

    “Every Crossriverian and politician is aware of this.’’

    He, however, expressed satisfaction with high turnout of voters in some areas and applauded voters for their peaceful conduct during accreditation and voting.

    “The security agents were doing their work accordingly in all the areas we visited and I must commend them for that,’’ he said.

     

  • Guber polls: Ayade votes, expresses confidence of victory

    Guber polls: Ayade votes, expresses confidence of victory

    Cross River State governor, Prof Ben Ayade, Saturday, at his Kakum, Obudu Local Government Area country home, said he was confident of victory in the March 9, governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    Ayade who arrived the Kakum Town hall polling unit 004 with his wife, Lynda, at exactly 10:55am went through the accreditation process and cast his votes at about 10:59am.

    The governor who spoke to newsmen shortly after casting his votes said: “I am very optimistic, let my three years plus in office be a validation of this election and my victory today.”

    On the turnout of voters, Ayade disclosed that “the attendance is much more today, very massive and in high spirits and full of enthusiasm.

    “This is my primary place of birth and apparently, every son and daughter is here in their large numbers. Some have come from Lagos and Abuja to cast their votes and I am very happy to I see this massive turnout.”

    Commenting on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s preparedness, the governor remarked: “I am perfectly happy with the arrangement on ground, well organised and voting is going on peacefully.”

    Continuing, Ayade said: “Election is getting more prepared and better prepared and that is why we get this pass mark,” adding that “I saw somebody who came to visit me by 9am and had already voted.

    To the electorate, the governor said: “Your power is in your vote, so vote wisely.”

    Wife of the governor, Dr. Lynda Ayade also applauded the turnout of voters, their calm attitude as well as the clement weather, pointing out that “women are getting more participatory and that is a good sign for us.”

    She further added: “this shows that women liberation is gaining ground.”

     

  • 268 candidates to contest 25 assembly seats in Cross River

    268 candidates to contest 25 assembly seats in Cross River

    A total of 268 candidates from various political parties will be contesting for the 25 seats in the Cross River House of Assembly on Saturday in the state, according to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Frankland Briyai, made the disclosure on Thursday in Calabar.

    Briyai said that 38 candidates were female.

    The REC also confirmed receipt of all sensitive materials for the election, adding that 95 per cent of the sensitive materials arrived in the state on Monday for the conduct of the legislative and governorship polls.

    He said that the Commission was ready for the elections on Saturday.

    Briyai said although All Progressives Congress (APC) did not have candidates for the elections, its logo would be on the ballot papers.

    He said that this was in compliance to a Federal High Court order which directed INEC to delist candidates of the party pending when the party would submit names of its candidates.

    The court gave the order following a leadership tussle in the party between the faction led by John Etim and the other led by Mr John Ochalla.

    It asked INEC to recognise the Etim-led State Executive Council of the party and recognise its list of candidates.

    Consequently, the Commission requested the party to submit a fresh list of candidates for the elections.

     

  • Gunmen attack former Cross River commissioner

    A former commissioner in Cross River, Dr George Abang-Ekpungu, escaped harm on Sunday night when gunmen attacked his home in his community, Kakwagom.

    Abang-Ekpungu told News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Calabar that the attackers came with guns and other weapons against him to his house in the community in Boki Local Government Area.

    “My house was attacked last night. The thugs came in with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons to my house to kill me.

    “There was so much gunshots inside my house. My car and other valuables were destroyed and we found over 15 pellets in the morning.

    “I don’t know where this is coming from. I thank God for the safety of my wife and children.

    “I want to call on the state Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to move in immediately and investigate this matter because it has been reported,” he said.

    He told NAN that he has not had any political rivalry with anyone or quarrel that should warrant such an attack in his home.

    Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident to NAN.

    “The matter has been reported to the police in Boki. It was a malicious damage. There was no injury or loss of life,” she said.

     

  • 2019 elections: Card reader fails to identify Ben Ayade

    Cross River State governor, Prof Ben Ayade, has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections, describing the exercise and turnout as both peaceful and massive, even when the card reader deployed for his unit failed to identify him.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Ayade accompanied by his wife, Lynda, arrived Kakum Town Hall, Ipong polling unit, Obudu with registration area code CR/09 at about 11:05 where they were accredited and later exercised their franchise.

    Speaking shortly after casting his vote, Ayade said: “I am here in my own polling unit and I am happy that we have a very peaceful and massive turnout here in my ward and indeed my polling unit,” adding: “I am also very happy with the conduct, certification and quality of training that the INEC officials and ad hoc staff have received.”

    The governor noted that “the process is good and I think that the fact that we are highly registered in this unit and they decided to give us additional voting points has made it a lot easier as a lot of people have already voted as of this moment, so it is clear that by 2. pm, everybody should have voted and the turnout is impressive and peaceful and I hear this is the same situation across Cross River State.”

    On areas of improvement ahead of the remaining elections, Ayade intimated: “I guess it is about the technology. The inability of the card reader to actually identify my finger prints calls for worry. This is Ben Ayade, this is my face, the governor of Cross River State with my card in my polling unit. That it could not authenticate my finger prints shows clearly that if there is no alternative other than the card reader, a lot of people will be disenfranchised.”

    Continuing, the governor maintained that “there is a challenge and I think it is a function of the temperature which affects the reliability of ICT base of this nature, so it is expected that as Nigeria progresses in our democracy, it should adopt a technology that will reflect our peculiar climate and the nature of our people.”

    He added further that “our finger prints vary with our nature, kind of occupation and what we do because all of these come together but I believe there is a great room for improvement as well as the choice of the technology and technical support that can allow us bypass the technology that fails.”

    On whether the earlier postponement of the elections has in any way affected yesterday’s exercise, Ayade remarked that “the postponement could not have made a difference in any way as the enthusiasm is high, the social media has actually expanded the understanding of the people as every person of voting age is excited and wants to exercise his or her franchise.”

    On her part, wife of the governor, Dr Lynda Ayade enthused: “I am impressed as well as the crowd in this polling unit is a testimony that people really want to exercise their franchise peacefully.”

    She added that “except the challenge of the card reader in some occasions, you can see that the people are happy, I expect the best and hope that my party, the PDP wins.”

     

  • Elections: INEC delists APC candidates in Cross River

    Elections: INEC delists APC candidates in Cross River

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has directed its Resident Electoral Commissioner in Cross River to remove the names of all candidates of All Progressives Congress from the ballot for the general elections.

    The REC, Dr Frankland Briyai disclosed this to newsmen on Friday in Calabar.

    According to him, the decision is in compliance with a Federal High Court order which recognises the Etim John-led State Executive Council of the party.

    The court consequently ordered the Commission to recognise only candidates from the John-led State Executive Council.

    However, INEC directed that the names and logo of the party should be retained, pending when the National Working Committee of APC would submit the names of candidates from the Etim John-led executive.

    The letter which was signed by Mrs Rose Anthony, Secretary to the Commission, also directed the REC to update its record in respect of the list of candidates earlier sent to him.

    The party in the state is factionalised between those loyal to John Ochalla and Etim John.

  • Police to embark on shooting practice in C’River

    The Police Command in Cross River has said that it will embark on a shooting practice at the Asabanka Shooting Range in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state on Friday.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Irene Ugbo, announced this in a statement on Thursday in Calabar.

    Ugbo advised members of the public, including residents and farmers in the area, to steer clear the environs until the exercise was over, to avoid being caught by stray bullets.

    “By this announcement, members of the public, all occupants and farmers of the said environs are advised not to engage in any activity within the area until the exercise is over.

    “This is to avoid being caught by stray bullet,” the PPRO said.

     

  • C’River Govt. approves N8.5bn for electrification in 400 communities

    C’River Govt. approves N8.5bn for electrification in 400 communities

    The Cross River Government has approved N8.5 billion for the provision of electricity in over 400 communities across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.

    Dr Jake Otu-Enyia, the Director-General of the State Electrification Agency (SEA) made this known on Tuesday in Calabar during a visit to his office by Mr Ayodele Adegoke, the State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

    He said that procurement processes had since commenced for the project.

    “This is in line with the Cross River State Executive Council’s approval of 100 per cent electricity coverage across the state,’’ Otu-Enyia said.

    He said the current administration in the state had done well by improving the electricity sub-sector including the direct intervention, in the provision of electricity materials worth over N30 million in over 30 communities.

    The director-general, however, promised to send a team of engineers to carry out a survey to ascertain the capacity of transformers required by the NYSC Orientation Camp in Obubra Local Government Area.

    Otu-Enyia said he would communicate same to the governor for assistance.

    Earlier, the state coordinator of NYSC had requested for an electricity transformer for the state’s NYSC permanent orientation camp.

    According to him, the camp had been in darkness for decades, hence the appeal for the state government’s intervention.