By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
The Cross River State Government has moved to revive the stalled General Hospital projects in Ikom and Etung Local Government Areas, with fresh inspections ordered to determine the work required for their completion.
Deputy Governor Peter Odey inspected the Ikom project on Friday, August 7, 2026, while Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk, separately assessed the Etung project as part of efforts to address technical and structural challenges affecting both facilities.
At Ikom, Odey said the administration of Governor Bassey Edet Otu remained committed to completing strategic health infrastructure and expanding access to quality medical services, particularly in underserved communities.
He said abandoned healthcare infrastructure deprived residents of essential services, assuring that the government would review outstanding issues and mobilise resources towards completing and putting the Ikom facility into use.
The Commissioner for Health explained that the Ikom project suffered setbacks after it was relocated from an earlier proposed Primary Healthcare Centre site to its present location following the donation of land by Etayip community.
He said the relocation involved compensation for affected persons, acquisition of adjoining plots and increased construction costs.
The contractor, Engr. Eric Achu, said the project was initially conceived as an upgrade of a nearby primary healthcare facility but was subsequently expanded into a 40-bed general hospital.
The facility is expected to include male and female wards, consulting rooms, a medical laboratory, radiology department and accessibility facilities for persons with disabilities.
On the Etung project, Ayuk said the hospital had not been abandoned, stressing that it remained a key intervention aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of general hospitals across the state.
He said the project was included in the current state budget, adding that a fresh technical assessment had identified the need for an updated design before construction could safely resume.
“From preliminary reports of an earlier assessment carried out in the early life of the current administration, coupled with our observations today, it is obvious that the Etung General Hospital project requires an updated design to address the gaps identified,” Ayuk said.
He said the new design would be fast-tracked for government consideration and approval, adding that the priority was to ensure that technical issues were properly addressed before work resumed.
Achu, who conducted the Etung inspection, identified concerns relating to wall heights, load-bearing capacity and the proposed roofing system. He said some sections had walls significantly higher than standard requirements without adequate intermediate structural support.
He recommended the incorporation of appropriate frame columns or reduction of affected wall heights, while also advising that the various building blocks be roofed independently rather than covered by a single large-span roof.
According to him, the approach would provide the structural support required for the roofing system, improve ventilation and reduce the risk of future structural problems.
The Ikom inspection was also attended by the Commissioner for Health and Special Adviser to the Governor on Stakeholders Engagement, Pedro Eyet, while Eyet participated in the Etung assessment and requested comprehensive photographic and technical documentation for submission to the governor.
The government said the assessments were intended to provide a clear basis for interventions required to complete both projects to acceptable standards.
