Following the visit of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, to Governor Umo Eno 3 weeks ago, over the last two days, the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John had the privilege to join the government side in discussing terms of engagement and negotiating an MOU with the UNDP Technical Mission which arrived in Akwa Ibom State to explore areas of collaboration for sustainable development.
The two-day technical session served as a strategic brainstorming platform between state government officials and the UNDP team. The discussions focused on identifying mechanisms for development assistance in alignment with Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda. The sessions marked a significant step towards formalizing a structured partnership to drive economic and social progress in the state.
Chaired by the Executive Assistant and Chief Delivery Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Aniefiok Johnson, other participants from the government included Commissioners for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Nsikan Linus Nkan; Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah; Women Affairs, Mrs. Inibehe Etukudo; Culture and Tourism, Dr Anieti Udofia and Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor. Also present were the Economic Adviser to the Governor, Dr. Uduak Obong Inam, and the Statistician General of the State. The UNDP delegation was led by its Portfolio Adviser, Mr. Innocent Fred Agolu.
Sectoral presentations covered key areas such as healthcare, with a focus on the “Smart Health Initiative” which seeks the digitalisation of health operations and provision of alternative energy (solar-power) support for facilities and provision of solar-powered cold chains. Other sector also presentations were on tourism development; youth and women empowerment; agriculture; advocacy; capacity building; and employment generation.
At the end of the technical meeting, a broad-based Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was proposed. The UNDP team outlined the objectives and framework for partnership, detailing a portfolio of programs designed to enhance service delivery, foster collaboration, and create structured models of cooperation.Additionally, the UNDP was tasked with identifying areas for immediate intervention within its existing programs, while the state government would explore counterpart funding options in future budgets. Key focus areas include renewable energy, digital transformation, agriculture, human capital development, and civic engagement initiatives.
The Honourable Commissioner for Health looked forward to the consummation of the proposed MOU as it holds great promise to the further unlocking of the economic potentials of Akwa Ibom State multi-sectorally.
He expressed his gratitude to Governor Umo Eno for facilitating the engagement and appreciated the UNDP team for their commitment to supporting Akwa Ibom’s development efforts.
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