Cross River, GE sign multi-billion naira specialist hospital contract

The Cross River state government has signed a multi-billion naira contract with General Electric (GE) to build and equip a specialist hospital in Obudu Council Area of the state.

Ayade, who signed the contract yesterday at his office in Calabar, restated his administration’s determination to continue to provide quality health care to the people of the state.

He said GE has eight months deadline to deliver the project, but the “time frame is six months and extendable by a maximum of two months to complete the specialist hospital where patients do not need to have money to access medical service.

“I want to congratulate GE on emerging the team that will build a leisure, seven-star specialist hospital that will be one of the best in Africa,” he said.

He assured the people of Cross River State that he was committed to enrolling them in the state’s health insurance scheme to enable them to access quality health care at little or no cost at all.

Ayade said, “Cross River will be the first state to provide social health insurance for those who have no income at all. I believe that this is one of the real essence of governance. Ayadecare is real and it will serve you.”

He expressed hope that the company would live up to its billing and justify why it won the contract, adding, “GE is a known brand worldwide. The GE and Cross River State specialist hospital will be a model of how a specialist hospital should be run when completed.”

He, however, charged the state Ministry of Health to ensure that the specialist hospital takes off, saying, “Setting up the hospital and equipping it is one thing and running it with the right personnel is another.

“I charge the Commissioner for Health, the Permanent Secretary and the ministry to be on their toes.”

Responding, General Manager, West, Central and French sub-Saharan Africa of GE, Eyong Eboi, commended Governor Ayade for his commitment, promising that GE would work tirelessly to deliver the project.