By Admin
At a time when many individuals and organizations are withdrawing their services to the public due to paucity of funds originating from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cross River State Government has doffed her cap for Corps Member Essien Ekemini Etim with State Code CR/19C/0210 for his immeasurable support in the fight against the corona virus in the state.
Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade made the commendation through the State’s Commissioner for Health and Chairman of COVID-19 Taskforce in the state, Dr. Betta Edu while receiving the items donated to the Government by the Corps Member in her office in Calabar, the Cross River capital.
“The NYSC has contributed immensely in the fight against the virus in the state and this is not the first time the state government is receiving anti COVID-19 items from Members of the National Youth Service Corps. A Corps Member once donated his one month allowance and others have distributed some palliatives while the state has also felt the impact of the services of many Corps Doctors and paramedics serving in the state”, the Commissioner said.
This according to her “ is a sign of the love you have for the state and the country and we will continue to be appreciative of your kind gesture. Indeed, your name will be written in the record book of respondents to the fight against the pandemic. We pray for God to bless, reward and provide for you in all your endeavours”, Edu averred.
State Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Nakamba who led some management staff of the NYSC through the Assistant Director, Community Development Service (CDS), Mr. Umoffong Ubokudom highlighted that community development is one of the cardinal points of the NYSC where Corps Members are encouraged to identify and devise means of meeting felt needs of their host communities.
Earlier, NYSC South-South Area Director, Mr. Ayodele Benjamin Omotade who was on a 2-day familiarization visit to the state during the project had lauded the Corps Member for deeming it fit to carry out such a massive project. He urged him to continue with the spirit of enterprise and service to humanity wherever he finds himself.
In their separate speeches, the beneficiaries; NYSC Cross River State Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Nakamaba, General Hospital Calabar, CMD of Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, CMD, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, CMD, Calabar Women and Children Hospital, Obong of Calabar, Primary Health Care CENTRE, Ikot Ansa, Primary Health Care CENTRE, Ikot omin and residents of the state were all excited at the humanitarian gesture of the Corps Member, they wished him well and pronounced blessings upon him.
Essen who spoke to Kross Kopa team said the aim of the project is to; encourage healthy lifestyle and preventive measures against the global pandemic, provide a platform for well meaning Nigerians to give towards curbing the spread of the Global pandemic in the state and to partner with the State Ministry of Health in achieving sustainable health care development.
The Corps Member said “ I’ll love to reiterate that I identified that problem and it motivated me to do the little I could to help solve the problem. As a Corps Member, I used the Platform given to me by the NYSC and wrote to various stake holders in the Health care sector for assistance. It was Community centered project, I simply reached out to relevant bodies with the opportunity given to me by NYSC and they were interested in supporting”, he stated.
He extended his appreciation to the Young Medical Laboratory Scientists Forum (YMLSF), the “The Online Church” and other individuals who responded quickly to ensure the project came to a reality.
Essen also who maintained that he was faced with many challenges however said he learnt a lot from the challenges. “It took a lot of encouragement from friends, family and my Zonal Inspector but at the end it was worth it”, he recounted.
Corps Member Essen is a professional front-line medical practitioner and a First Class Medical Laboratory Scientist who graduated from Madona University. He is currently serving with the Calabar women and children hospital where he provides professional health care services to women, children and the general public. He is the President, Medical and Health Community Development Service (CDS) group, Calabar.