Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the ARISE Agenda, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The governor inspected strategic projects across the state, focusing on accelerated infrastructure delivery, tourism development, and reducing medical tourism outflows.
This move aims to boost the state’s economy and improve the quality of life for its citizens.
Governor Eno reaffirmed his commitment saying “We’re delivering projects with quality, speed, and sustainability under the ARISE Agenda.”
Loss of revenue
At the Medical City project site, Governor Eno urged contractors to speed up road and infrastructure works to meet deadlines, stressing that timely completion will position Akwa Ibom as a regional healthcare hub, curbing the loss of revenue from residents seeking medical care abroad.
During his visit to the “Ibom International Hospital,” he directed immediate commencement of piling works and the clearance of acquired structures to fully open up the site for rapid development. Once operational, the hospital will offer world-class facilities, directly contributing to Nigeria’s goal of retaining healthcare spending within the country.
Trained pioneer staff
Inspecting the Elderly Citizens Centre, the Governor issued directives for a more holistic facility; incorporating a full-scale healthcare wing, expanding the site by 20 hectares, developing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), and recruiting trained pioneer staff.
This approach reflects the Renewed Hope Agenda’s social inclusion component while ensuring health services infrastructure.
These projects also carry tourism potential, with the Medical City and Ibom International Hospital, potentially leveraging Akwa Ibom’s serene environment and hospitality infrastructure, to attract medical tourists to the State, when operational.
These infrastructure upgrades with service quality improvements drive, will also position the state as a leading destination for both leisure and medical tourism.
These interventions directly complement the Federal Government priority programmes drive under the Renewed Hope Agenda’s, to expand critical infrastructure, develop the healthcare sector to reduce medical tourism, and boost domestic tourism as a pillar of economic diversification through shared prosperity and inclusive growth across Nigeria.
Lateefah Ibrahim