The Chairman of Akamkpa Local Government Council, Hon. (Ophot) Felix Akposi KSJI, has reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of his administration to partner with development agencies in the collective fight against measles and rubella across the local government area.
Akposi gave the assurance during a high-level training workshop organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Agency, held in Calabar on Thursday, January 8, 2026. The workshop brought together health practitioners and local government representatives as part of coordinated efforts to strengthen routine immunization and safeguard children’s health across the state.
Speaking with conviction and a sense of moral duty, the Chairman described healthcare as a sacred trust, noting that the future of any society rests on the wellbeing of its children. He emphasized that the workshop’s focus on routine immunization, measles–rubella eradication, and the Human Papillomavirus vaccination for girls was not merely a policy exercise but a call to conscience.
“Health is wealth,” Akposi stated. “As a local government, we must stand at the frontline to ensure that our people have access to improved healthcare services. These interventions are about our children, and our children are our tomorrow. To neglect them is to mortgage our future in perpetuum.”
He stressed that achieving total compliance would require a shared responsibility between government, traditional institutions, and communities. According to him, royal fathers remain indispensable partners due to their daily interaction with the people and their influence at the grassroots.
“This is a contributive process,” he said. “I will personally interface with our traditional rulers to drive this initiative, so that together we can secure the best outcomes for our children.”
The Akamkpa Chairman also underscored the need to motivate and support health workers, whom he described as the engine room of the entire immunization drive. While acknowledging the importance of financial incentives, he noted that moral support, recognition, and improved working conditions often have a profound impact on morale and performance.
“I witnessed this firsthand during a medical practitioners’ meeting in Akamkpa,” he added. “The appreciation and encouragement they received changed the atmosphere completely. Sometimes, non pecunia sed cura not money, but care makes all the difference.”
Akposi spoke on behalf of Chairmen from the Cross River Southern Senatorial District. The Vice Chairman of Yakurr Local Government represented the Central Senatorial District, while the Vice Chairman of Obanliku spoke for the Northern Senatorial District, reflecting a unified stance across the state’s political and geographical divides.
Earlier in her address, the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Agency, Dr. Vivian Mesembe Otu, charged health workers to ensure strict adherence to established guidelines, particularly the 20 frequently asked questions designed to guide practitioners in the field.
She reiterated the state government’s vision of zero tolerance for vaccine-preventable diseases, stressing that a strong primary healthcare foundation remains the bedrock of a resilient health system.
“If the foundation is weak, the entire structure is at risk,” Dr. Otu warned. “We must be deliberate, proactive, and committed to getting it right. The health of our people depends on it.”
The workshop featured interactive technical sessions, robust question-and-answer engagements, and practical discussions aimed at sharpening the skills of health workers ahead of the statewide immunization exercise. Participants left with renewed resolve, united by a common purpose to protect lives and secure a healthier future for Cross River State ad vitam et spem posteritatis.
