Three Years After Cross Riverians Were Deceived To Apply For Jobs, Has Calapharm Commenced Production Yet?
In April 2018, in a mad rush to make headlines perhaps, a statement from the Cross River State government announced that the State owned Calabar Pharmaceutical Company (CalaPharm), was near completion and calls were made for applications from the public to fill positions in the company.
Specifically, CalaPharm announced vacancies for, Head of Finance, Production Manager, Superintendent Pharmacist and workers in Engineering and Accounting departments.
At the conceptual level, Calapharm Nigeria Limited is meant to be a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical factory owned by the Cross River state government. It is part of the initial plans of our governor, Senator Ben Ayade, to produce essential medicines listed by WHO for Primary Health with a focus on Mother and Child Health, and to develop self-dependency and stability in the supply of WHO Standard medicine for Nigerians.
While on tour of the facility along with the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dana Group of Companies Plc, Jacky Hathiramani, Governor Ayade said that Calapharm will compliment the State Health Insurance Scheme Agency law and will reduce the dependency on foreign drugs. Ayade posited that the factory will also ease the pressure on the Naira as it is positioned to cater for the South South region of the country which does not have a large pharmaceutical company. He said the foreign exchange required to buy foreign drugs will be cut down.
But three years after all these developments, Calapharm is still under lock and key. Standing right beside the Cross River Garment Factory, along Goodluck Jonathan Bypass, Calapharm is by the roadside and can be seen clearly as you drive by. Again, it is a reminder of the impulsiveness of our governor. How he jumps on impulse to announce things that aren’t ready. Three years after people were decieved to apply for jobs, there hasn’t been any explanation from government why the process was not completed nor have they bothered to tell us why Calapharm has refused to commence production.
But we will continue to remind them until the remaining 694 days come to pass.
Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.
