We Need Greater Synergy To Achieve Sustainable Development Goals Says Linda Ayade

By Jonathan Ugbal

The wife of the governor of Cross River State, Dr. Linda Ayade says there is need for partners and relevant stakeholders to effectively synergize if the state is ready to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Ayade stated this Tuesday in Calabar while declaring open the maiden strategic implementation and work plan development meeting of the Mediatrix Development Foundation (MDF) with the theme; “Attaining Sustainable Development Goals in Cross River State and Nigeria at large” where she said that “We need greater synergy to achieve sustainable development goals to improve the livelihoods of our people.”

Ayade who called on the state government to support relevant bodies to achieve universal health coverage, said she has carried out activities “Geared towards improving the livelihood options” of her people long before her husband assumed office, pointed out that these, have “Cost a huge amount of resources” of which she is “Certain that the results have not been commensurate.

“This is one reason for this strategy process. To tie all our activities to specific thematic areas and to develop such a work plan that every resource thrown in produces the maximum value possible.

“This planning process is a necessary step towards ensuring the survival of MDF beyond our term in political office. It is necessary to streamline MDF’s resources, which are not unlimited, towards the most relevant and specific development goals despite that my passion for the less privileged makes me desire to touch everyone and solve every problem.

“I am certain that there are strengths and weaknesses, abilities and limitations that we have as an organization which may still be unknown to us. So, I look forward to the revelations that this strategic planning meeting holds” she said.

Earlier, the acting Executive Director of MDF, Jeffery Adamade in his remarks said that “It has taken a long time for us to have a strategic implementation and work plan but we hope that at the end of this meeting, we will have a document that will give us a direction, a focus and set benchmarks for ourselves.”

Also, the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Betta Edu urged relevant government bodies and developing partners to synergize, share their work plans innovative ideas that will project the desires and work of Dr. Ayade’s pet project and called for integration and commitment to the planning process as well as the implementation process.

The meeting is scheduled to last till Friday and had in attendance several commissioners and top government functionaries, stakeholders in the health sector drawn from relevant ministries, departments and agencies of government as well as developing partners among others.