By Jonathan Ugbal
Cross River Governor, Senator Bassey Otu on Friday handed over the sites for the construction of a Hostel and an ICT center to contractors of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC at the College of Nursing Sciences, Obudu.
The Governor also hailed the Provost of the College, Dr. Veronica Undeshi for her pragmatic leadership skills in turning around the fortunes of the health training institution.
He also commended a native of Obudu, Arch. Clement Udie, a staff of th NDDC who facilitated the siting of the projects in the institution.
Handing over the site, Otu, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk averred that; “I am astonished. I have not heard of this. You (Arch. Udie) have proved to us the essence of public service. You have set a pace.”
On the part of the Provost, the Governor who proceeded to commission a renovated seminar room, conference room and the registry block which will house the examinations and records department expressed worry that her successor may not be able to match the tempo she has set.
“The Provost has been nothing short of a performer. She can do a second tenure. And if we want to replace her, we must look for someone who will maintain the tempo she has created,” he said.
Established decades ago, as a School of Basic Midwifery and on August 15th 2023, was elevated to a College of Nursing Sciences by Governor Otu, receiving interim accreditation from the Nursing Council and the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, to award certificates in Basic Nursing, Basic Midwifery, Community Midwifery, Post Basic Nursing as well as a National Diploma in Nursing.
With over a thousand students currently enrolled, the Provost of the College, she said the infrastructural upgrade witnessed was due to the approval of former Governor Ben Ayade for 100 percent retention of funds generated.
She averred that this led to the “construction of additional classrooms, administrative offices, rehabilitation and extension of buildings at annex, provision of laboratory equipment, classroom furniture, renting of additional hostels, construction of boreholes and employment of casual staff to augment the limited government workforce.”
Furthermore, Dr. Undeshi who disclosed that Dr. McFrank Abu had influenced Mr. Udie to ask for the projects, stated that the provision of the facilities will, “enhance students training,” and, “place us in an advantageous position to secure permanent accreditation from NBTE for our ND program and interim accreditation for HND, which are now the major programs nationwide as Basic Nursing and Midwifery gradually phase out.”
The Chairman, Obudu Local Government Council, Peter Undiandeye on his part had also commended the Provost for her dexterity and administrative prowess as she keeps pushing to ensure the College gets all it needs to train health workers amidst the challenging situations the country faces with dearth of health workers.
He advocated for the provision of a bus to the College after mixed reactions trailed the donation of three 32-seater coaster buses to other Colleges of Nursing Sciences, leaving out Obudu to which the Governor replied saying that by the 12th of September, an 18-Seater will be provided while arrangements are made for a bigger one.
For Mr. Udie, the call to act was based on the fact that he has put in nearly three decades in the public service of the federation and will soon retire, hence the need for him to do what he can to ensure his community also benefits as well as the federation.
Udie who said he was not present only as a stakeholder and not a representative of the NDDC, sought unity of purpose and action as collaboration was key to achieving the desired heights.
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He disclosed that after making the plea, the projects, alongside a dormitory for the neighboring Girls Secondary School, Obudu, are being executed under “emergency provision,” since there was no budgetary provision for the projects.
The event was attended by Chiefs of Obudu Council Area, with the management disclosing that the Urban Traditional Rulers Council had donated over seven hectares of land for the institution.
