₦airaland Forum

Obaseki makes case for funding of tertiary education by donors, endowments

… to commission Daisy Danjuma Women Center

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has made the case for business leaders and public-spirited individuals and groups to support the funding of tertiary education through donations and endowments.

The governor made the submission at the Commissioning of the Senator Daisy Ehanire Danjuma Hostel for Girls at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Main Campus in Ugbowo.

The hostel was built and donated by the Danjuma Foundation.

He said, “Over the last few years, I have made a case for a shift in the way we run our higher institutions. There is a need to allow more room for private participation through philanthropy gestures and endowments. Donations such as this are the only key sources of improving the infrastructure that will help enhance the learning environment and to lift the burden of government as the government does not have the resources to fund universities but to look for alternatives.”

He urged individuals, corporate organisations and governments to continue to support tertiary institutions in the area of institution upgrade and also funding of Research and Development (R&) initiatives to make the institutions compete with their peers across the globe.

Obaseki noted that, “The Edo State Government has offered resources to enhance the road infrastructure in this institution as we are not oblivious of the ripple effects of thriving tertiary institutions in Edo State.”

Speaking of the commissioning of a world class women centre, he said, “I want to formally invite you to another commissioning on Tuesday 2nd of May 2023, where we will be commissioning the Sen. Daisy Ehanire Danjuma Women Center. It is a facility for women with accommodation, skill acquisition training centre, gender-based violence clinics to support women who are abused, as they will get care there.”

Obaseki also commended the Danjuma Foundation for supporting the state government, noting, “I appreciate the amount of support, medical equipment and cash donations which the foundation, Lt. Gen. Yakubu Danjuma (rtd.) and Sen. Daisy offered us during COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.”

PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R: Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki; Senator Daisy Danjuma; Vice-Chancellor, University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prof. Lilian Salami; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, during the commissioning of Senator Daisy Danjuma Girls’ Hostel, at the UNIBEN Main Campus in Ugbowo, Benin City.

Obaseki applauds Daisy Danjuma’s investment in ongoing healthcare revolution in Edo

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has commended Senator Daisy Danjuma’s investment in the ongoing healthcare revolution in the state.

The governor gave the commendation during the dedication of the Merry Ehanire Mother and Child Hospital, in Benin City, as part of activities to mark the 10th year Anniversary thanksgiving of late Dame Merry Oritsetimeyin Ehanire, the mother of the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and Senator Daisy Danjuma.

He said the Mother and Child Hospital will be a key pointer to the direction of revolution of healthcare in the state, noting, “There is on-going revolution in the healthcare system in Edo State and this facility will be the key pointer to the direction of which our healthcare is going because it’s about access to healthcare and more importantly quality of healthcare.

“When Sen. Daisy Danjuma told me about building a mother and child hospital, I said let’s give her land at our current health hub at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital but unfortunately she has committed her resources.

“We have healthcare services in Nigeria but quality healthcare makes us travel abroad to seek treatment. The technology here at this hospital can give us access to experts anywhere in the world for treatment and we have started it with telemedicine. Last year, we were fortunate to have about 60 highly specialised Nigerian doctors who came from the Americas to give special healthcare services to our people."

Obaseki added that, “Healthcare is much about the infrastructure as well as the human capacity. Edo is evolving to be a medical hub. I can tell you the health implications for these facilities for our healthcare system in Edo State.

“We have the human capacity to provide care here in the State. We have it as we were about to raise over 5,000 doctors during COVID-19 to care for the people. All we need to do is to relate to them better and improve their access to research.”

According to the governor, “We will be happy to come here in November to commission this hospital. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is building something similar. We will be opening the first phase of the new Stella Obasanjo hospital soon. With all these facilities, we will be launching Edo as the new medical hub of the country.”

PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R: Former Chief of Army Staff, Theophilus Danjuma; his wife, Senator Daisy, and Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left), during the dedication of the Merry Ehanire Mother and Child Hospital, in Benin City.

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L-R: Consultant, Development Africa, Joshua Kempeneer; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and his wife, Mrs. Betsy, during the dedication of the Merry Ehanire Mother and Child Hospital, in Benin City.

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L-R: Consultant, Development Africa, Joshua Kempeneer; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, during the dedication of the Merry Ehanire Mother and Child Hospital, in Benin City.

FG may be unable to pay salaries beyond June 2023 without removing fuel subsidy, massive money printing, says Obaseki

…urges workers to champion cause for subsidy removal

…pledges to sustain reforms to better workers’ welfare, improve livelihoods

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, said the Federal Government may not be able to pay workers’ salaries beyond June 2023 without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy.

Obaseki disclosed this while delivering his address during the 2023 May Day celebration with the theme, “Workers' rights and socio-economic justice," held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City.

Dignitaries at the event include the Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; Secretary to Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq.; Edo State Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa Esq.; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha; Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun, and the Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Itsebaga Acha, amongst others.

The governor, who reassured that his government will sustain reforms and projects to improve the welfare of workers and ensure better livelihoods for Edo people, urged the workers in the country to shift from the tradition of reacting when policies that affect them have already been made but take charge and ensure full transparency and accountability of government’s policies and programmes.

Obaseki said, "It would be a miracle for the federal government and state governments to pay salaries beyond June this year without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy. Either of these decisions will bring more hardship and pain to Nigerians, particularly workers.

"We must all make sure that the burden and pain of these measures, which must be taken, are not carried by workers alone. Workers must now rise and ensure that they champion any discussion on subsidy removal. You must shift from the tradition of reacting when these policies have been made but insist that you take charge and ensure full transparency and disclosure. If we are all undertaking a reform, then the benefits and pains that will come out of the reforms must be mutually shared by all Nigerians, not just the downtrodden.”

Reaffirming his government’s commitment to the welfare of workers in the state, Obaseki noted, “I am proud to say that Edo workers are currently the best-paid workers in Nigeria. When we announced the increment of the minimum wage to N40,000 at this venue last year, I expected that the Federal Government and other state governments would follow suit immediately but I am surprised that it has taken them one year already.

“My promise to Edo workers here today is that the day the federal government is able to pay its new minimum wage and hand over a cheque to any federal worker, that day, we will match the federal government and do the same for state workers.

“As your governor, I will ensure that workers are fairly treated so that your take-home pay can really take you home. Our government has kept faith with prompt and regular payment of staff salaries and retirees' benefits in the State in the last six years.

“As a tradition, salaries are paid latest on the 26th day of every month and for any holiday celebrations, our workers are paid before the celebration so that they have money to celebrate.”

He added, “We currently do not owe arrears of promotion in Edo State because I have approved the promotion of all staff for 2022 which I believe will boost the morale of staff and the performance of our workers.”

Hailing the workers' contributions to the growth and development of the state, the governor stated, "Our vision is to make Edo State the best place to work and live in Nigeria.

“I appreciate the sacrifices of our workers and their unwavering dedication and zeal as these have led to the growth and development of our dear State in the last six years despite the difficulty suffered following the poor management of the nation by the Federal Government.

“Our workers are the unsung heroes of society and the engine that powers our economy and we will continue to prioritize your welfare. This is why we will continue to embark on a series of reforms to boost your morale and productivity, ensuring the right incentives and enabling the environment to deliver quality service to Edo people. This is in addition to the reforms we have embarked on in education, healthcare, technology, economy, agriculture, and many other sectors.”

He continued: “We are investing in Infrastructure to provide our workers with a modern, more equipped, and dignified work environment to enable them to become more productive and deliver quality service to our people.

“We are installing fiber optic cables across all local governments so that government offices will now have internet connection. The John Odigie Oyegun Service Academy is the best in Africa and is being effectively used daily to train our workers to make them the best in Africa.

“We have removed all processes of interference with our recruitment exercise to ensure that the recruitment process is free, fair, and merit-based.

“We have also kicked off the policy to ensure that any student of Edo extraction who makes a first class in any University in Nigeria is given an opportunity for automatic employment into the state’s civil and public service as we want the best.”

The governor charged, “I appeal to workers to ensure they register in the health insurance scheme and utilize it effectively.”

On his part, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, represented by State Coordinator, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mrs. Florence Owie said, "Only a few employees are aware that workers have rights in their workplaces. The Federal Ministry of Labour will continue to implement labour laws to ensure peace between employee and their employers.”

Chairman of the Edo State’s chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Chief Odion Olaiye hailed the governor for prioritizing the welfare of the workers, commending his developmental strides across all sectors of the state’s economy.

Also, the Acting Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Edo State Chapter, Comrade Charles Momoh thanked the governor for the Edo Health Insurance Scheme, noting that Edo workers are enjoying affordable and quality healthcare services under this administration.

PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R: Chairman, Edo State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Chief Odion Olaiye; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun, at the 2023 May Day celebration, in Benin City, on Monday, May 1, 2023.

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L-R: Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; Chairman, Edo State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Chief Odion; Governor Godwin Obaseki; Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun; Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa Esq., and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha, at the 2023 May Day celebration, in Benin City, on Monday, May 1, 2023.

Obaseki meets Edo youths, assures inclusion, better opportunities

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has met with youths from the state’s 18 local government councils, reassuring that his government will continue to prioritise the youths, providing them with the right environment and infrastructure to enable them to live life to the fullest.

Obaseki, at an interactive session with the youths, held at the Government House, Benin City, assured that his administration will sustain reforms and programmes to guarantee better opportunities for youths in the state

The session was organized by the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki. The forum had in attendance different youth groups as well as the leadership of the various students ’ unions including those of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and Benson Idahosa University, among others.

The Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq. and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Osaigbovo Iyoha, were also in attendance.

Obaseki said, "We are doing a lot as an administration. Our focus and purpose is to create a future for Edo youths. About 65 to 67 percent of the people we govern in Edo State are under the age of 35 years. Majority of the people we are responsible for as a government are young people. Whatever we do as a government, we must have the interest and vision of young people at heart as our policies must focus on them.

"My number one priority is education. If I don't do anything as a governor, I want to be remembered as that governor that repositioned education in Edo State. We have done a lot, including using technology to improve our lives in the State. By October this year, every local government area in Edo will be connected with fibre.”

The governor further noted, "The problems we have today are an accumulation of neglect by previous governments on issues related to young people. We are focusing on giving relevant education; not education of certificates but education that will give you employment and job to position you for the future. Any education that can't give you employment should be reviewed.

"We face challenges as a nation and State but we must continue to struggle as the solution lies with the youths of this nation. The problems we have today are because, as a government, we decided to work with taxpayers’ money to develop the State rather than share the money to a few persons.”

Edo govt directs Ambrose Alli University mgt to retrieve illegal sack letters

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has directed the management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, to reverse and retrieve all recent illegal disengagement letters issued to staff of the institution.

The governor insists that the sack notices said to have been issued earlier to some staff of the university are illegal, null and void.

The management is to retrieve any such illegal letters if they were ever issued and reinstate the affected staff.

The governor has ordered an in-depth investigation into what led to the sporadic issuance of illegal sack letters and assured that all found culpable will be brought to book.

The government reiterates its commitment to the welfare of staff and is working to address all lingering issues affecting workers at the state-owned institution.

Crusoe Osagie

Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects

March 15, 2023

Edo workers hold appreciation rally for Obaseki as NLC, NURTW, RTEAN, TUC, others endorse PDP candidates for March 18 polls

Workers in Edo State, on Tuesday, took to major streets within the Benin metropolis to appreciate the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, for his government’s commitment to the welfare of workers in the state, declaring support for candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Saturday, March 18, House of Assembly elections.

At the one-day appreciation rally, members of the organized labour hailed the governor for the transformational reforms in the civil service, listing the payment of the N40,000 minimum wage, regular and prompt promotion of civil/public servants, prompt payment of salaries and pensions to workers and retirees, conducive work environment, an increase of retirement age from 60 years to 65 years and service years from 35 to 40 years (whichever comes first), among several others as some of the governor’s strides in the civil and public service.

THE organized Labour comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Public Service Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) also endorsed candidates of the PDP in the House of Assembly elections.

Addressing the governor on behalf of the organized labour, Edo NLC chairman, Chief Comr. Odion Olaye, stated that “every right-thinking Edolite will agree that the Obaseki-led administration under the PDP banner had brought massive transformation to the state, hence the need to vote in people who will work with the governor to achieve further development in the state.”

In his response, Obaseki said, “The most important elements in any society are the workers and without workers, you cannot have government buildings alone do not make the Government but the people who work in government.

“When I came into office, I said never again will people work for 30-35 years and afterwards be abandoned. So, we started the contribution towards pension and today, we have over 10 billion in that fund. So, in the future, as you people are leaving, the money is there for pension and gratuity.”

Olaye earlier noted, “We, the organized labour, after looking deeply into what you have been doing for workers and the state, have come to thank and support you.

“We are the only state with a minimum wage of N40,000, regular and prompt promotion of civil/public servants, prompt payment of salaries and pensions to workers and retirees, conducive work environment, an increase of retirement age from 60 years to 65 years and service years from 35 to 40 years (whichever comes first), among several others.

“The organized labour is fully in support of your administration's commitment to the development of Edo State and we call on workers in the state to come out en masse on Saturday, March 18, to vote for the governor's party, PDP. This is so that he can continue the good works he has been doing for workers in Edo State.”

On his part, the Edo TUC chairman, Comr. Aigbomwanhi James, commended the governor for the construction of the Labour House, among other projects, reassuring the union’s support for PDP candidates.

Also, State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Pullen Noruwa, noted, “It was when Governor Obaseki came into office that all the entitlements of pensioners were received which is unprecedented in the state in less than a year.

“The pension arrears of over N4 billion was paid, monthly pension comes before 26th of each month with no arrears accumulated for all retired civil/public servants. Governor Obaseki met a 6 percent increase in 2003, 15 percent in 2007, and 33 percent in 2010 and implemented them, and today pensioners are enjoying the same.”

PHOTO CAPTION

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Chairman, Edo State Chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Aigbomwanhi James; Chairman, Edo State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Chief Comrade Odion Olaye, during an appreciation rally, at the Government House, in Benin City, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

Obaseki pledges more projects as Edo drivers, Arewa Community throw weight behind PDP candidates

The Arewa Community in Edo State and commercial bus drivers in the state, under the aegis of the Drivers Welfare Empowerment Scheme, on Tuesday, threw their weight behind the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), pledging to deliver their votes to ensure their victory at the Saturday, March 18 House of Assembly elections.

The groups gave the assurance when they separately received the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, in Benin City, the Edo State capital, who canvassed votes for the PDP candidates at the forthcoming polls.

Obaseki was received at the office of the Drivers’ Welfare Empowerment Scheme by the chairman of the association, Comrade Adelanto Lucky Ukponmwan, at Zabayo in Benin City, and the Arewa Community in Aduwawa, Ikpoba-Okha local council by the Chairman of Arewa PDP Mobilizers, Alhaji Sani Muhammed.

Governor Obaseki also visited the livestock market at Aduwawa where he was received by leaders of tomatoes, vegetables, and livestock traders. He also met with members and leaders of the Butchers Association in Edo State.

Addressing the drivers, the governor said, “I have set up a Transport Authority, a body that can regulate your Association and others and ensure disagreement like the type you had in time past with other unions doesn't exist. The body will give the authority to your association and others like yours to operate in the State. The body will also regulate the other parks you operate from.

“We already have a Central Park at Obakhavbaye and are working on having many other mini-parks that will be feeding the other parks and the central park. It will enable us know who is operating where and also know how to collect dues from you. Don't worry, you are my supporters, and we will not abandon you. Those causing problems in the Scheme have gone and we will work with you. You will collaborate with me to make the state peaceful.”

Speaking to the Arewa Community, Obaseki noted, “I am here to thank you people because you are peaceful people doing your legitimate businesses in Edo State. My administration will continue to develop the State and make life easier and better for Edo people as well as those living in the State.

“Do you like what I am doing in Edo State? If you want us to continue, please vote for PDP candidates in the forthcoming election in the State for us to continue with our developmental strides.”

He further charged, “On Saturday 18th of March, come out with your PVCs and vote PDP. l will protect you and ensure peace in this area as it will stimulate growth and development. This is your government as no one can remove us when you support us. We still have a lot to do before leaving office.”

On his part, the Chairman, Arewa PDP Mobilizers, Alhaji Muhammed, added, “Your government has benefited the Arewa Community in Edo State. Your administration has appointed eight members of the community and two out of them are women. It shows your administration is gender sensitive.

“206 members of the Arewa Community are part of the Edo State Security Network in the State. We have 70 polling units in this area and we assure you of 100 percent votes for PDP candidates in the EDHA election on the 18th of March 2023.”

PHOTO CAPTION



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L-R: Chief of Staff to the Edo State Governor, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha; Governor Godwin Obaseki, and President, Driver Welfare Empowerment Scheme, Comrade Adeiyan Ikponmwosa, during a meeting with members of the scheme, in Benin City, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

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L-R: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, acknowledging cheers from members of the Arewa Community, during a meeting with members of the community, in Benin City, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

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Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (right), with the Enogie Designate of Ahor, Omorotionmwan Enotiomwan, during a visit to the Enogie, in Ahor, Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

Obaseki visits Sobe, Sabongida-Ora communities, assures improved security, more infrastructure, others[/i]

[i]…residents hail gov’s devt strides, assure support for PDP candidates in Saturday House of Assembly polls
[b][/b]
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Sunday, visited Sobe and Sabongida-Ora communities, both in Owan West Local Government Area (LGA) of the State to canvass votes for the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday’s House of Assembly elections.

Obaseki, while addressing the people of the communities, assured improved security and more infrastructural projects to better the lives of residents in the areas.

Speaking to worshippers at St. John Cathedral, Anglican Communion, Diocese of Sabongida-Ora, the governor said the state government is collaborating with security agencies in the state to ensure security in Edo forests, adding, “I will not be governor and leave you unprotected. Security is our focus as we will ensure your safety. We began an operation yesterday, combing out all herdsmen from our forest.

“In Edo State, we have prohibited open grazing and will implement that law to the fullest. Our people must go to their farm and do their farm work.”

He continued: “As a government, we will continue to do more for our people. We are here to use the opportunity to see the construction of the Sobe-Sabongida-Ora Road, as well as the Edo University Campus, to be sited here, among other projects.

“In all our challenges as a country, we must continue to have hope, as things are very difficult. We battle inflation, high food prices, scarcity of currency, and lots more. As a country, we must be prayerful to come out from these many challenges.

“Owan West is a citadel of education in Edo State, as it has some of the best trained and educated Nigerians. Owan West is not a locality to joke with as it needs viable representatives in the Edo State House of Assembly. You should vote for someone who will represent you well, unlike those that ran away and followed their godfather.

“In this Saturday’s House of Assembly election, I urge you to vote for someone that will represent you well. The PDP members in the House will support me and my developmental strides in the State will continue.”

Addressing party faithful and residents in Sobe, Obaseki noted, “We will bring development to this area. Have you seen the road from Sobe to Sabongida-Ora? We are working hard on the road and will ensure we complete it before the end of the dry season.”

He further stated, “I can't abandon you people, as your area needs somebody that will represent you well at the Edo State House of Assembly. We need somebody that will serve as a good representative, a link between your people and the government.

“I appeal to you all to come out on Saturday, 18th of March 2023 with one mind and vote one of your own, Blessing Agbebaku who will represent you well in the EDHA.”

Obaseki reassured, “Sobe must move forward. I will work with your leaders to bring development to the people of this area.”

In his response, the Chairman of PDP, Sobe, Ward 11, Mr. Joseph Igure, said, “I want to assure you Mr. Governor that all the 19 units in Ward 11 in Sobe will be won for PDP in the March 18, 2023 House of Assembly elections in the State. We will make sure this election is a done deal. We must deliver our House of Assembly candidates. We will continue to canvas votes for PDP and make sure we win all 19 units in Ward 11.

PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his Chief of Staff, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha; Commissioner for Public Security, Omololu Ojehomon; Special Adviser to the Governor, Political Matters (Edo North), Hon Jimfred Obaidiku, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State House of Assembly candidate for Owan West, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, during a church service, at the St. John Cathedral, Anglican Communion, Diocese of Sabongida-Ora, Owan West LGA, on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

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L-R: Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Owan West Local Government Area, Mr. Joseph Igure; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters (Edo North), Hon Jimfred Obaidiku, during a political meeting in Sabongida-Ora, Owan West LGA, on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Edo’s anti-grazing law’ll resolve farmer/herders’ conflict, enhance security in communities, says Obaseki

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his government has signed the anti-grazing law to tackle farmer/herders’ clashes and ensure peace and security across Edo communities.

Obaseki disclosed this at the Edo Central Security Council Meeting, held in Irrua, the Administrative Headquarters of Esan Central Local Government Area, Edo State.

The governor said, “I am pleased to inform you that the Edo State Government now has a law which prohibits open grazing in Edo State. The bill has been signed into law by me. It was signed on the 27th of May and the objectives of the law are as follows:

“The law prohibits open grazing of cattle and other livestock in the state and creates designated ranching areas for the rearing and grazing of cattle and other animals in the state. It will control and regulate the grazing and rearing of cattle and other livestock in designated ranching areas of Edo State.

"It is meant to eliminate the conflict between nomadic cattle herders and their agents and the local breeders and owners, communities, farmers and private individuals and institutions. It will eliminate land degradation, air, and water pollution, loss of biodiversity, deforestation and other menaces arising from open grazing.

"It will create a conducive environment for large-scale crop production. It would promote modern techniques of animal husbandry through the creation of ranching areas. It would promote jobs and investment opportunities in cattle and other livestock farming.”

According to him, the law “will prevent the destruction of crops; it will ensure the control and management of diseases and enhance healthy breeding of cattle and other livestock animals. It will promote international best practices in dairy and beef production. It will reduce the incidents of road accidents caused by open grazing and grazing of livestock.

"It will promote and enhance high and healthier breed of livestock and ensure security in ranching areas and ensure good relationships between herders of cattle and local communities and individuals, and address the security challenges associated with open grazing in Edo State.”

Disclosing plans to set up a cattle and livestock committee to facilitate the implementation of the law, Obaseki said, "There would be a cattle and livestock committee which will be chaired by a retired senior security officer, not below the rank of a major or its equivalent in any of the forces. It will have a representative of the governor on security matters. The committee will also have the state Chairman of the vigilante groups and three representatives of the vigilante group, one from each senatorial district.

"It will have a representative of the Commissioner of Police, Department of State Services, civil defense, Nigeria Legion, and the secretary will be in a rank of a chief state council.

"The Managing Director of EdoGIS will be on the committee; one representative of each of the traditional rulers from three senatorial districts will be on the committee; two representatives of registered cattle or other livestock farmers associations will be on the committee, while three community youths selected from the three senatorial areas of the state will be on the committee.”

"This committee will have a lot of powers to set the rules for anybody who wants to be involved in livestock business in the state and also impose required fines. So, it is now a crime for anybody to just allow their cattle or animals to roam without control. And before the end of August, the committee will be constituted and inaugurated,” he added.

The governor at the meeting urged the traditional rulers in Esanland to identify all the black spots and report the same to the appropriate authorities for follow-up, adding, "Nobody can come to your house and stay without your permission and knowledge. Is it possible? If you find a person you didn't permit to stay there and you want to remove the person and you can't, that's when you need support from outside to help you do it.

"However, we want to know who they are. Are they people of good character? Do you know them? if they do anything outside, are you going to be responsible for their actions?” he queried.

The governor further pledged to sustain support to the local vigilante to facilitate the fight against crime and criminality, urging local government councils to ensure they register only persons of good character as vigilantes.

PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R: Edo State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Hon. Monday Osaigbovo; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and Edo State Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, during a security town hall meeting, in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State.

Group fingers Oshiomhole for engaging fake clerics for Shettima’s unveiling in desperation to become Tinubu’s campaign DG

… chides ex gov for committing sacrilege against Christians[i][/i]

A socio-cultural group, Edo Patriots Front, has accused former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of being behind the recruitment of fake bishops and pastors for the unveiling of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Vice-Presidential candidate and committing sacrilege against Nigerian Christians in his desperation to become the Director General (DG) of former Governor of Lagos State, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

The group, in a statement in Benin City, condemned Oshiomhole for the disingenuous act and urged him to desist from unnecessarily heating up the polity in pursuit of his inordinate ambition.

The statement was signed by President of the group, Mr. Solomon Amadasun and the group’s General Secretary, Miss. Rosemary Omorogbe.

According to them, “The information we have on good authority is that former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is behind the engagement of the persons who came to parade themselves as a coalition of bishops and pastors at the unveiling of the Vice-Presidential candidate, Sen. Kashim Shettima of the APC in Abuja.

“It is most regrettable that the former governor has descended to such level to allow himself to be involved with such a sacrilegious act, which is an attempt to make mockery of Christians and Christianity in Nigeria.

“This is why we have decided to take this position to state unequivocally that Oshiomhole should not, in his ill-fated desperation to become the DG of Tinubu’s campaign, malign or insult the sensibilities of Nigerian Christians. The viral photos and videos on social media and the reaction by Nigerians are testament to how the charade by Oshiomhole and the APC have fouled the air with their unsightly disrespect of the Christian faith.

“In Edo State, we are raised to respect the sanctity of religion and not deploy it to pursue pecuniary gains. We are well aware of the antics of politicians and how they have over the years deployed religion as a tool to keep the people in perpetual bondage.

“Right-thinking members of the public are aware of the dangers of the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC and have expressed their reservations.

“Even though Christians can be very tolerant, we would not fail to remind Oshiomhole of the wrath of God Almighty. So, he should be guided and not take the tolerance of Nigerian Christians for granted. To be forewarned is to be fore armed.”

APC suffers crushing loss in Orhionmwon

...lose community Pillars to PDP

...Evboehigae, Obagie, Ama Line fully under PDP command

It was a sad day for APC in Ugbeka ward in Orhionmwon local government area of Edo State, as more of their already depleted membership, including Godspower Ojoegba, Otasowie Omoregie, Anthony Aghayere, and Osasere Ewansetin to mention a few, led hundreds of their supporters to decamp to PDP on Sunday, 26th June, 2022.

Receiving the decampees, the Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Chris Osa Nehikhare, thanked them for their decision to join the Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP, assuring that they would be granted equal opportunities as all members of the party.

The decampees who are mainly the political pillars of Obagie, Evboehigae and Ama line communities in Ugbeka ward appreciated the role Hon Chris Osa Nehikhare is playing in attracting government presence to their communities since the entronment of a PDP led government in the state. For recognising their son and making him a commissioner, they pledged their loyalty and total support for the Governor and the party, PDP.

In his response, Hon Nehikhare, declared; “today, operation sweep-up Ugbeka has began” He said the political heavy weights that missed the last train in 2020 have now joined PDP, and advised the few left to renounce their membership of APC, so that they can realign, readjust and reintegrate with the party that mean well for Edo and its people."

"We are not welcoming you by lip service, but from the bottom of our hearts. I can assure you that working together will ensure continuous good governance in Edo State under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki."

"Now that you have dumped the rickety old worn out broom, the Umbrella has become more Potent. The Umbrella will be deployed to provide comfort."

"The comfort the Umbrella provides will accrue to all who are members of PDP."

The decampees were thereafter formally received by the ward chairman, Mr John Ono, who presented them with the Umbrella, the symbol of the Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP.

BREAKING: Peter Obi resigns from PDP

A presidential aspirant Peter Obi has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obi, a former Anambra Governor, was until his resignation one of the 15 aspirants vying for the presidential ticket of the PDP.

The letter conveying his resignation from the party was submitted to the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.

Obaseki’s reforms: CBN rallies investors for devt of 1,590 hectares plantation

Riding on the back of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s investment drive, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Zenith Bank, Suntrust Bank, among other investors have made commitments to the development of a 1,590-hectare oil palm plantation operated by Raedial Farms Limited.

With the global demand for oil palm on the increase amid supply disruptions, investors are taking advantage of the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP), to deepen imprints in the country’s oil palm sector. Already, Edo has about 120,000 hectares of oil palm plantation under development.

Other investors and stakeholders who visited the Raedial Farms facility in Iguomokhua village, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State include Boston Advisory, CAGL Global, United Capital & United Bank of Africa (UBA). They were received by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Uwadiale Agenmonmen.

Agenmonmen said work is in top gear to supply crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel oil (PKO) to the market through the current expansion programme of its palm plantation and mill.

He stated that there was no better time to invest in palm oil cultivation and production in Nigeria other than now, particularly against the backdrop of the recent ban on the exportation of palm oil and oil palm produced by the Indonesian government.

According to him, “The business environment is interesting. There may be ups and downs but lately, the palm oil value chain has been the best in a while, fostered by Indonesia shutting down their export recently and thereby putting the pressure back home.

“In recent times, people that normally import can no longer import palm oil and other products from Indonesia. So, the prices are going up and it is good for the farmers that actually cultivate and sell. In a nutshell, right now, the business environment is okay.”

While commending the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the financial support towards the growth of the industry, he stated that the major obstacle militating the success of farmers in the oil palm industry is largely occasioned by the set of conditions or evaluation commercial banks give to those who want to access the funds provided by CBN.

He added: “The farm sits on 1,509 hectares of land and has currently cultivated 700 hectares while another 500 hectares would be cultivated this year. The oil mill in the farm currently has the capacity of producing 16 tons of red oil every day and from palm kernel oil, it can produce 27 tons every day when there is a full stock of raw materials.”

“We have to bring our current investors and bankers here to physically see what we are doing because there is a difference when you talk to people about what you do on paper and phone calls. We want them to feel connected to where they have their money and with this, we look forward to better business opportunities.”

Obaseki congratulates Edo PDP candidates after House of Assembly, Reps, Senate primaries

The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has congratulated candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who emerged from the conduct of the party’s primary elections held across the state between May 22 and 23.

In his message, Obaseki said: “I congratulate our party’s candidates who emerged from the conduct of the Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary elections held across the state between May 22 and 23.

Obaseki noted, “I urge the candidates for the State and National Assemblies’ elections to see their victory as a major step towards the service of Edo people, who have continued to hold steadfast to the ideals and potentials of our great party to deliver good governance and sustainable development.

“The outcome of the primary elections, as has been acknowledged by all, is the triumph of internal democracy through which we will surely deepen our democratization process.”

He added, “As we intensify preparations for the general election in the coming months, I assure to work closely with the party to ensure that we emerge victorious at the polls so as to further deepen our development strides across the state.”

As Ogbeide Ihama loses out of Edo PDP primaries, Orbih, Ihama, others move to NNPP

Following the inability of the member of the House of Representatives representing Oredo Federal Constituency, Hon. Ogbeide Ihama to secure the ticket of the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Edo South Senatorial zone, Vice Chairman of the PDP in the South-South, Chief Dan Orbih, alongside Hon. Ihama and other members of the PDP loyal to Orbih have begun move to decamp to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Hon. Ogbeide Ihama managed to secure only one vote out of the 227 votes cast at the Daniel Obiora-led five-man PDP Senatorial Primary Election Committee for Edo South Senatorial ticket conducted on Monday, May 23, 2022, at the indoor sports complex of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.

Having lost his ticket, the two-term member of the House of Representatives for Oredo Federal Constituency alongside, Chief Dan Orbih, Harrison Omagbon and Hillary Otsu have reached out to a leader within the NNPP, Ibrahim Kwankwaso ahead of the decamping move to the party.

According to a source close to Hon. Ihama, the active talks with Ibrahim Kwankwaso on the plans to dump the PDP for NNPP include an arrangement for Harrison Omagon to serve as Edo State Chairman of the NNPP, while Hillary Otsu acts as Secretary, and Ogbeide Ihama as the Edo South Senatorial Candidate of the NNPP for the 2023 elections.

Obaseki urges on prudent mgt of scarce resources as Bayelsa understudies Edo’s e-procurement system

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Wednesday, received members of the Bayelsa State Due Process Bureau who were in the state to understudy Edo’s e-procurement system, with the governor charging states on effective management of resources to improve the lives of the citizens.

Obaseki, while speaking to the delegates at the Government House in Benin City, noted that e-procurement remains key for states with scarce financial resources to deliver on their mandate, ensuring sustainable growth and development.

The governor said Edo State’s procurement process has moved from analog to digital system which introduced a new level of transparency that has continued to address all forms of manipulations and corruption in the procurement process.

He noted, “In view of the scarcity of resources, it is important to appropriately manage the resources available and put them to proper and greater use for the benefit of the people. It's only an effective and transparent e-procurement process that can make it possible to achieve this.

"E-procurement helps in managing scarce financial resources effectively and it propels development and progress. E-procurement is key, especially for states that don't have much financial resources. Effectively managing the little resources available helps the developmental efforts.”

Obaseki further stated, “About 12 years ago, we had the privilege of seeking budget support facilities from the World Bank and the emphasis was on the need for a stronger procurement unit. Nobody wants to give you money if they are not sure that you can spend it properly.

“We have one of the oldest e-procurement units in the country. We have moved from the analog era to the technology era in our procurement system in Edo State. We have a system where we procure properly. We have found that technology is the way to go. We now use technology to facilitate our procurement process in the state.

"Technology introduces a different level of transparency that will fight all forms of manipulations because it allows everyone to see the records at the same time, unlike manual process, thereby eliminating all forms of corrupt acts.

“The transparent procurement process has a lot of benefits for the state as it helps in so many ways. When procuring infrastructure and other services, it is important to have a robust system that becomes a culture. It is important because it's in the best interest of the people, and the best approach to improving the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.”

"IGR is difficult to collect and after collecting it, it becomes obligatory to explain to the people how you spent the money," the governor added.

The leader of the delegation, Aaron Nicodemus Timiye, who is the Director-General of Bayelsa State Due Process Bureau hailed Edo for establishing a world-class procurement process that has become a template for other states.

He said, “We are here to study the public procurement process, specifically the e-procurement system. We are here to exchange notes and ideas on e-procurement, and possible ways of improving our e-procurement process as Edo State is far ahead of Bayelsa State in terms of e-procurement.”

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L-R: Director Project Monitoring, Bayelsa State Due Process Bureau, Iriakuma Donald; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Edo State Public Procurement Agency, Henry Idogun; Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki; Director General, Bayelsa State Due Process Bureau, Aaron Timiye, and Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to Bayelsa State Government, Ikobho Anthony, during a courtesy visit by Bayelsa State Due Process Bureau team on a tour of the Edo e-procurement system a, at Government House, in Benin City, on Wednesday, May 18th, 2022.

We constructed gas conversion plant for Ossiomo Power Company not NGMC -Fabricators, welders

The Edo State chapters of the Fitters Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (FISSAN) and the Nigeria Welders Association (NWA) have said the Ossiomo Gas Plant in Ologbo, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, is not owned by Nigeria Gas Marketing Company Limited (NGMC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

Speaking to journalists in Benin City, the associations who are fabricators of the gas plant said the project is the brainchild of the Managing Director of Ossiomo Power Company, Dr. Uwa Igiehon.

Chairman of Edo FISSAN, Comrade Uyi Harrison said the union and their welders counterpart were responsible for the fabrication, building and construction of the gas conversion plant under the invitation of Dr. Igiehon.

He said, "We did the welding, fabrication and installation of the Ossiomo Gas Conversion Plant. Dr. Uwa was the person who invited the two unions to join in the building of the gas plant.

“Recently, also, he invited the two unions to fabricate another four-inch pipeline which was done and he is the one who pays us and the person we know as the owner, not NGMC.”

“The materials we used in the fabrication, building and construction of the gas plant were brought from Warri in Delta State, as well as Lagos and Port-Harcourt in Rivers State,” he added.

On his part, Chairman Edo NWA, Comr. Enoma Osaro said when Dr. Uwa wanted to employ their services, was not sure about our competencies and professionalism, adding, “When he interacted with the unions, he was satisfied and gave us the job.”

He said, “We know Dr. Uwa as the owner of the plant. We don't know any other person but him. He engaged us throughout the process of the fabrication and construction of the gas plant.”

PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R: Vice Chairman, Edo State Chapter of the Nigeria Welder Association (NWA), Comrade Akim Alunyo; Edo State Chapter of the Fitters Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (FISSAN), Comrade Uyi Harrison; Chairman, Edo State Chapter of NWA, Enoma Osaro, and Secretary, FISSAN, Sunny Omokafe Alex, during a press conference, in Benin City, on Tuesday, May 17th, 2022.

High Court upholds Edo PDP ad-hoc delegates election

An Edo State High Court has upheld the Ad-hoc delegates election conducted by the Dr. Kingsley Emu-led Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ward Electoral Committee for the party's primary elections.

The judgement delivered by Hon. Justice Vestee Otumaye Eboreime held that the election is valid.

The ruling paves the way for the elected 3-man delegate to participate in the election in order to elect candidates that will fly the PDP's flag in the upcoming general elections.

With the development, rumours and misinformation about the validity of the ward election by a section of disgruntled party members have been put to rest.

Edo PDP elects adhoc delegates ahead of party primaries

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has organized ward congresses across the 192 wards in the state to elect adhoc delegates ahead of the party primaries.

Chairman of the Edo PDP Ward Congress Electoral Committee, Dr. Kingsley Emu, who addressed the State Working Committee at the party secretariat in Benin City ahead of the commencement of the exercise, said the ward congresses will produce 576 adhoc delegates from the 192 wards in Edo State.

The exercise across the 192 wards of Edo State was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The chairman noted that each ward is expected to produce three adhoc delegates in line with the party guidelines.

Emu said, “The process starts from the ward. We have 192 wards in Edo State and 18 local government areas and the congress is expected to produce 576 delegates for the election with one national from every local government area.

“When we say the processes start from the ward, it means that there shall be congresses in each ward as every ward is expected to produce its own adhoc delegate. The report is then forwarded to the Local Government Monitoring Committee and sent to the State Secretariat where the final collation is done.”

He continued, “The voters must be card carrying members of the PDP. Their cards are not bound to be signed by the wards’ chairmen and secretaries; so long they have been signed by the national it becomes authentic.

“We are happy with the development here and have visited one or two locations where the congress is going on and we are here at the party Secretariat for the collation; we will do it objectively.”

On his part, Edo PDP Chairman, Tony Azeigbemi said, “The PDP National Executive Committee fixed 30th of April 2022 (today) to conduct the congress to elect the three-man adhoc delegate.

“The National Working Committee set up this Committee to conduct this congress here. It's not a state affair but a national affair. The chairman and secretary will run through the procedures adopted to get the exercise done.”

As at press time, results from the election were still being awaited.

PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R: Chairman, Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ward Congress Committee, Dr. Kingsley Emu; Chairman, Edo State Chapter of the PDP, Anthony Aziegbemi, and Secretary of the Committee, Victor Assams, at the party secretariat in Benin City ahead of the commencement of the PDP ward congress, Saturday, April 30, 2022.

Obaseki inaugurates 7-man electoral commission, charges on free, credible LG poll

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has inaugurated the seven-member Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), headed by Justice James Oyomire (Rtd.), to conduct elections into local government councils across the state.

The governor, during the swearing-in at the Government House, Benin City, charged the commission to be neutral in the conduct of the council poll, ensuring that the electoral process is free, fair and transparent.

Members of the committee include Mrs. Gladys Idahor, Mr. Uduafi Gabriel, Mr. Felix Ebhota, Mr. Okekuoyen Ehiedu, Mr. Michael Emmanuel and Mr. Vincent Aimienota.

Obaseki noted, “This newly constituted commission has the task of midwifing a new democratic dispensation at the local councils so that we can deepen the dividends of democracy and bring government closer to our people.

“We, as government, are very sensitive to the role of the electoral empire because we are beneficiaries of a free and fair process and having benefited from a free process, are fully committed to ensuring that others have the same privilege and benefits that we enjoyed, which brought us into power.”

He continued: “With the improvements in the electoral process in the state, we hope to conduct a local government election that will be seen as credible and acceptable by the generality of our people. As a government, we will support you to ensure that you deliver on your mandate.

“We have gone through a diligent and thorough process in selecting you; your records speak for themselves and therefore, I have no doubt in my mind that you have what it takes to succeed in this assignment.”

"I want to appeal to all the political leaders and actors to play plain so that our people can choose those who will lead them because it is only when we have the right people managing the affairs of the state that we can engender sustainable development,” the governor noted.

In his remarks, Justice Oyomire, thanked the governor for finding them worthy for the appointment, pledging that the committee will carry out its duty diligently in the interest of the people of Edo State.

PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R: Chairman, Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), Hon. Justice James Oyomire (Rtd.); Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., and member, EDSIEC, Mrs. Gladys Idahor, during the inauguration of the commission, at the Government House, in Benin City.

*I’m not leaving PDP for anyone; accept my leadership or leave – Obaseki to detractors*

*_…Edo sets for council polls, as PDP registers over 539,000 members_*

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at the weekend, said he has no plan of defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), urging anyone who is uncomfortable with his leadership of the party to leave.

The governor, who stated that the party is now fully harmonized, stressed that the constitution of the party bequeaths him with the leadership of the party in the state, a position which is not up for contest by anyone.

Obaseki said this during an expanded caucus meeting of leaders and members of the PDP in the state.

“I can't leave PDP. I will not decamp from the PDP; we will always win any election. PDP won in the last election and we will continue to win all elections in the state and country; nothing will stop us as a party,” he said.

The governor noted that the forthcoming local government election in the state will set the template for next year’s national and legislative elections, urging party members to reflect on the elections and work in unity to ensure victory in the polls.

He noted, “There is no division in Edo PDP. Let the party be open to accommodate others. PDP is democratic. The hallmark of democracy is ensuring that the majority has their way, as the minority can't dictate to the people.

"I heard that Chief Dan Orbih went around, saying there is no harmonization in Edo PDP. This is really irresponsible to say and an insult to members of the party, as the party has truly harmonised in the state.

"PDP in Edo State is harmonised because before we made any appointments in any ward, we made sure the party at that level was harmonised. We are gathered here now as election timetable is out; harmonisation has been done, appointments made and we are ready to win any election before us.”

Obaseki disclosed that the PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu will visit the state on Thursday 10th of March 2022, urging party leaders to bring along five percent of newly registered members to welcome the party chair.

"Politics is not about fighting but dialogue and discussion. I urge us to collaborate and unite to move the party and state forward,” he charged.

Noting that over 539,000 members have been registered in the ongoing e-registration exercise, Obaseki said, “These numbers are not fabricated as we have the data, pictures, emails and phone numbers of members of the party we have registered so far. You have broken records as this is the bastion of PDP in Nigeria. We have changed the face of politics in Nigeria.”

He continued: “I didn't give leaders any resources to mobilize them but rather they challenged themselves and achieved the goal to register more members in the state.”

"Some people went around saying people should not join our party. No true party man will do that. Those that engaged in that are not true members of the party and don't belong to Edo PDP. If not, they will not push people away from the party.”

"Our focus now is on how to engage our members, making them participate in the policy-making process of the party. We don't need to wait for an election before we act."

Charging detractors sponsoring disunity in the state to stop forthwith, the governor stated, "Edo is Edo, leave Edo State alone. They have tried us in battle, and have been made to know that we are battle-ready. We have been tested and trusted. We must always win elections; we must always win as a party.

The Chairman PDP Edo State, Anthony Aziegbemi, noted that “Edo State is the only state in the nation that has surpassed the 500,000 thresholds for e-registration of the party.”

Others at the meeting include the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Hon. Marcus Onobun; Senator Matthew Urhoghide; Senator Clifford Odia; Chief Tom Ikimi; Hon. Joe Edionwele and National Youth Deputy Leader of PDP, Timothy Osadolor, among others.

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*I’m not leaving PDP for anyone; accept my leadership or leave – Obaseki to detractors*

*_…Edo sets for council polls, as PDP registers over 539,000 members_*

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at the weekend, said he has no plan of defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), urging anyone who is uncomfortable with his leadership of the party to leave.

The governor, who stated that the party is now fully harmonized, stressed that the constitution of the party bequeaths him with the leadership of the party in the state, a position which is not up for contest by anyone.

Obaseki said this during an expanded caucus meeting of leaders and members of the PDP in the state.

“I can't leave PDP. I will not decamp from the PDP; we will always win any election. PDP won in the last election and we will continue to win all elections in the state and country; nothing will stop us as a party,” he said.

The governor noted that the forthcoming local government election in the state will set the template for next year’s national and legislative elections, urging party members to reflect on the elections and work in unity to ensure victory in the polls.

He noted, “There is no division in Edo PDP. Let the party be open to accommodate others. PDP is democratic. The hallmark of democracy is ensuring that the majority has their way, as the minority can't dictate to the people.

"I heard that Chief Dan Orbih went around, saying there is no harmonization in Edo PDP. This is really irresponsible to say and an insult to members of the party, as the party has truly harmonised in the state.

"PDP in Edo State is harmonised because before we made any appointments in any ward, we made sure the party at that level was harmonised. We are gathered here now as election timetable is out; harmonisation has been done, appointments made and we are ready to win any election before us.”

Obaseki disclosed that the PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu will visit the state on Thursday 10th of March 2022, urging party leaders to bring along five percent of newly registered members to welcome the party chair.

"Politics is not about fighting but dialogue and discussion. I urge us to collaborate and unite to move the party and state forward,” he charged.

Noting that over 539,000 members have been registered in the ongoing e-registration exercise, Obaseki said, “These numbers are not fabricated as we have the data, pictures, emails and phone numbers of members of the party we have registered so far. You have broken records as this is the bastion of PDP in Nigeria. We have changed the face of politics in Nigeria.”

He continued: “I didn't give leaders any resources to mobilize them but rather they challenged themselves and achieved the goal to register more members in the state.”

"Some people went around saying people should not join our party. No true party man will do that. Those that engaged in that are not true members of the party and don't belong to Edo PDP. If not, they will not push people away from the party.”

"Our focus now is on how to engage our members, making them participate in the policy-making process of the party. We don't need to wait for an election before we act."

Charging detractors sponsoring disunity in the state to stop forthwith, the governor stated, "Edo is Edo, leave Edo State alone. They have tried us in battle, and have been made to know that we are battle-ready. We have been tested and trusted. We must always win elections; we must always win as a party.

The Chairman PDP Edo State, Anthony Aziegbemi, noted that “Edo State is the only state in the nation that has surpassed the 500,000 thresholds for e-registration of the party.”

Others at the meeting include the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Hon. Marcus Onobun; Senator Matthew Urhoghide; Senator Clifford Odia; Chief Tom Ikimi; Hon. Joe Edionwele and National Youth Deputy Leader of PDP, Timothy Osadolor, among others.

Obaseki hailed as PenCom lists Edo, three others as only states complying with Contributory Pension for workers

Edo workers have commended the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki for prioritizing the welfare of civil and public servants in the state, with the government keying into the Contributory Pension Scheme and ensuring prompt payment of salaries and pensions to the workers.

The commendation comes as the National Pension Commission (PenCom) listed Edo State and three others as only states that have remitted their worker's pension contributions fully as of December 2021, in line with the mandate of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

According to the 2021 fourth-quarter report, Q4’21, released by PenCom, while Edo, Lagos, Kaduna, and Benue are up to date with their remittances, five other states of Osun, Delta, Ekiti, Ondo, Anambra and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which are also remitting both employer and employee contributions, have backlogs in remittances.

Analysis of the report shows that 25 states had enacted pension laws on the CPS, while seven states were at the bill processing stage.

Out of the five states operating other pension schemes, four states adopted the Contributory Defined Benefits Scheme (CDBS), while one state operates the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS).

The Contributory Pension Scheme was introduced in Edo by the Governor Obaseki-led administration in 2017, with retiree workers under the scheme receiving their monthly pensions regularly and promptly, outliving the biggest challenge that confronted the old pension scheme.

A retiree, Emmanuel Edosa, noted, “We are grateful to the state governor for putting Edo workers and retirees at the forefront of his government’s reforms and programmes. Since we migrated to the CPS in 2017, we have continued to benefit from the numerous gains of the scheme.

“One major advantage of this scheme over the previous is the absence of queues. Also, workers do not have to travel long distances to get their pension payments or even present themselves for periodic pay parades since payments are made directly to our accounts through banks on a monthly basis.”

Obaseki disbands vigilante group for aiding illegal logging in Edo community

…assures of completion of Inikorogha Community Road
[/b]
… beefs up security in Ovia South-West LGA, others[b]

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has ordered the immediate disbandment of all members of the vigilante group in Inikorogha, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state accused of aiding illegal wood loggers and other criminal elements in the area.

Obaseki gave the order after a fact-finding mission to the community with a team of security agencies comprising the police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Department of State Services (DSS) and National Park Rangers, among others.

The governor who assured on the completion of the Inikorogha Community Road, said security has been strengthened in the area to ward off illegal loggers and other criminal elements.

According to him, “I am here to see how we can move things forward. By next week, bulldozers will resume work on the construction of your road; you need to have access to your community. Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) awarded this road, but they failed to commence the work.

"The contractor will commence work by next week. We are disbanding all the vigilante groups aiding those engaged in illegal logging and we are recruiting able-bodied young men and women from this community to protect our forest and fight against illegal logging.”

“I have made provisions for marine boots to man our waterways. Those engaged in illegal logging must stop because if you cut down those trees, you won't be able to stay here.”

"I don't want to hear of any attack on Okomu National Forest again; if I hear of any, I will go after them and make them face the law,” he noted.

Reassuring improved security in the area and plans for an Edo Forestry Law to impose stiffer penalties for illegal loggers, Obaseki noted, "Before now, what we had as a law does not have real penalties. It was more like a slap on the hand; the law just provided for your logs to be impounded.

"With the current law, it goes beyond impounding; we will prosecute and convict people who are logging illegally and who are doing things against the spirit of the forestry law in Edo", he said.

Earlier, the youth Chairman of Inikorogha, Mr. Favour Arigban, alleged that he was driven away from his community by some criminal elements because he was committed to fighting illegal logging and protecting the Okomu National Forest.

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PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq.; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha, and Edo State Commissioner for Mining, Oil and Gas, Engr. Ethan Uzamere, during a town hall meeting in Inikorogha, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state.

Obaseki to partner FG to revitalize Okomu National Park, sends forestry bill to Edo Assembly

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his administration will partner the federal government on the management of the Okomu National Park, to revitalize the park and strengthen security in the area.

Obaseki disclosed this on Thursday while addressing the Conservator of the Okomu National Park, Mr. Augustine Obekpa, when he visited the park in Udo Community, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state.

The governor also stated plans to send a forestry bill to the Edo State House of Assembly for consideration to bolster efforts at protecting the state’s forest reserves.

He noted, "We are going to be sending a forestry bill to the Edo State House of Assembly for consideration next week. We will make sure that we expand the law beyond forestry assets to also cover the natural assets found around the forest.

"We want to collaborate with the National Park Service. I will visit the Minister of Environment to offer her a certain proposal to allow the Edo State Government to jointly manage the park with the federal government because this is our resource.”

Obaseki continued: “With that collaboration, it means that we would put in more resources. We would like to increase the number of rangers and park officers to protect not only this park but some other reserves that are around us here, particularly the Okumo Reserve and the Gelegele Reserve.

"We will pay for the new hires under such an arrangement. We will upgrade your training, as well as provide more facilities and amenities for the park.

"Nobody will come here if they don't feel secure and safe. This does not apply only to the park and the resources around this area, but it is important for people to know that they are secured when they come in to enjoy nature.”

“We will make sure that we improve the security of this park and expose the beauty and ecotourism opportunities of the park,” he added.

Obaseki further stated, “We have been hearing of nefarious activities of criminal elements, both in the park and the forest reserve, and also the Okomu Oil Palm Company. Today, we are on a fact finding visit to examine what exactly is going on in the park.

"We have to find out the number of attacks, where the attacks are coming from and see how the state government can come in and collaborate effectively with the park using the full security system in the state to deal with the security challenges that we have here.

"Government will not just sit back and allow the kind of criminality that we are seeing in this area. Our worry is that if we don't confront them now, it will get out of hand.

"We are hoping to get the full report from you and to understand clearly how the criminals are operating. We saw a truck outside the premises which I believe was recently seized with high quality wood.”

"You know how expensive these items are. Our concern is that these criminals come in, log illegally and take the logs out, sell them and procure more arms and come in to occupy the territory,” Obaseki noted.

In his remarks, the Conservator of the Okomu National Park said the park is home to white-throated monkeys, Buffalo and Elephants, noting that farming, hunting and illegal logging was affecting the natural habitats of the animals.

Obekpa appealed to the governor for logistics support to enable them to effectively protect the forest assets.

PHOTO NEWS

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State Coordinator, Edo Security Network, Mr. Yusuf Haruna; Executive Director, ANI Foundation, Tunde Morakinyo; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., during a visit to the Okomu National Park, in Udo Community, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state, on Thursday, March 3, 2022.

Edo School of Nursing, Midwifery sets for accreditation, as Obaseki inspects facilities ahead of team's visit

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Thursday, said the ongoing remodeling and refurbishment work at the state-owned School of Nursing and Midwifery in Benin City has reached the completion stage, noting that all is set for the institution’s final accreditation and reopening.

Obaseki disclosed this during an inspection of facilities at the institution ahead of the accreditation team's visit this weekend.

He was accompanied by the Commissioners for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria; Budget and Planning, Mrs. Otse Momoh-Omorogbe; Education, Dr. Joan Osa-Oviawe; Physical Planning and Urban Development, Isoken Omo; Water Resources, Moses Agbukor; Mining, Gas and Oil, Ethan Uzamere, and Local Government, Monday Osaigbovo, amongst others.

The governor, who expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the institution, noted, “This work is 95 per cent ready; we expect that before the end of the month, it will be fully ready and by the middle of November 2021, we would have received full accreditation and students who have gone through the admission process will resume.

"Rebuilding the nursing school to international standard has become key for this administration; it’s what has translated to what you see here today.”

According to him, "We are here for a pre-accreditation visit as the accreditation team will be here this weekend. I am here today to see things for myself and to ensure it’s ready for the team to inspect. Staff have been recruited; work on the physical structure is on; equipment for the demonstration laboratory has been purchased and by weekend, all of these will be installed.”

Obaseki, who reassured his government’s commitment to ensuring the health of Edo residents, said his administration’s continuous investment in the healthcare sector will dissuade the people from health tourism, adding, “We don't make noise about our projects but the people should be the ones to commission the projects themselves.”

He stated: “We have continued to make improvements in our human capacity development. As a government, we will continue to build the human capacity of our people as physical infrastructure alone will not do it.

“Doctors are only one segment of the healthcare chain as nurses are key elements of the chain; they provide care after the doctors have done their consultations and operations.”

Obaseki continued: “This is part of the medical hub that we are putting in place in Edo State. We have put in place the health insurance scheme; we would be laying the foundation for expansion of Stella Obasanjo Hospital to provide additional healthcare services to Edo people.

“The Federal Government will be building an orthopaedic hospital in the same location. We are talking to investors that want to build another mother and child hospital; a state-of-the-art diagnostic centre is also coming in there.”

He further stated: “The pandemic has unravelled the weaknesses of our healthcare system and it has prompted our administration to focus on the system. We are all witnesses to what happened during the pandemic last year. With COVID-19, no matter how rich you are, when you are sick, you have no chance of leaving the country.

“The pandemic raised the fundamental issues whether we can continue like this as a state, seeking for our healthcare needs outside the country or state.”

On her part, Prof. Akoria noted that the building of the state-of-the art-facility will boost human capacity development and ensure the needed change in the healthcare system in Edo State.

PHOTO CAPTION

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L-R (front row): Esther Oshunluyi; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Edo State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria and Special Adviser to the Governor on Strategy, Policy, Projects and Performance Management, Mrs. Sarah Esangbedo Ajose-Adeogun, during an inspection of facilities at the Edo School of Nursing and Midwifery in Benin City on Thursday, October 21, 2021.

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/edo-pdp-ratifies-suspension-of-orbih-ihama-others/

https://www.newsdaily.com.ng/edo-pdp-ratifies-suspension-of-orbih-ihama-others/

https://www.blueprint.ng/edo-pdp-okays-rep-orbihs-suspension/

https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2021/10/11/edo-pdp-obaseki-supervises-suspension-of-dan-orbirh-5-others/

https://punchng.com/ill-not-accept-any-opposition-in-edo-pdp-obaseki/

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/10/edo-pdp-leaders-ratify-orbih-others-suspension/

Edo PDP ratifies suspension of Orbih, Ihama, others

From‎ Tony Osauzo, Benin

The Edo State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has ratified the suspension of the National South-South Vice Chairman, Dan Orbih, member of the House of Representatives representing Oredo Federal Constituency, Hon Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama; State Secretary of the party Hilary Otsu; the party chairman for Oredo Local Government, Oduwa Igbinosun, and the Chairman for Oredo Ward 4, Mr Friday Enaruna.

Their suspension was ratified by all PDP leaders across the 18 Local Government Areas and the three senatorial districts of the state at an enlarged meeting of the leaders of the party, which was held in Benin City.

The ratification of the suspension followed a motion moved by Mike Nosa-Ehima, a leader of the PDP in Oredo Local Government Area, and was seconded by Sylvanus Eruaga, a leader of the party from Etsako West LGA.

‘All those that have refused to allow the party to grow are being suspended in the interest of the PDP,’ Nosa-Ehima said‎ while addressing the party leaders.

State Governor Godwin Obaseki‎, on his part, stated: ‘There are people who have continued to come and feed you with lies. That is the nature of their politics, if there is no confusion they will not eat.

‘Last year, when we joined you, we started a movement that has never happened in Edo before, not even in our politics. If we go for election today, we will win by 85 per cent. It means we don’t have meaningful opposition and if this is the situation; we should not create opposition inside.

‘I will not leave PDP. I am the leader of PDP and, by the grace of God, I will lead PDP well. Anybody that doesn’t want me to lead or want to accept my leadership will leave PDP for me.

‘We are here to stay and invest in PDP. I am the governor to join PDP last and was made chairman of our e-registration process; so why should I leave the party? We came to meet PDP as a solid party the only true party in this country while others are special purpose vehicles for elections.

‘I said come let us harmonise and the harmonization is to carry everybody along. We don’t need to lie in politics. Politics is a game of numbers. For one year I have been begging for us to Harmonise. Went round when we wanted to make an appointment and the numbers of applications, we have been almost the same with the petition we received, it shows we have not harmonised.

‘I call all of you leaders of the party to come to build a solid party. We won our election last year because of our cooperation. United will stand and divided will fall. We are in PDP now for over a year.

‘We can’t escape from harmonisation if we want to go for National Convention. I have almost 300 to 400 political appointments I want to make.

‘People are greedy, politics is all about give-and-take. I appreciate PDP, we came, we won, we are not leaving PDP; we will not accept any opposition within PDP. If you are not happy with my leadership, you can leave us. Let all of us harmonise; some local governments have done their own, while some are still far behind.

‘By this weekend, please complete the harmonization. I am here to assure you that there is something for everyone that has worked for us and continue to work for us. The important thing is for us to continue to grow our party,’ he said.

In their comments, Mrs Philomena Ihenyen, Mr Johnson Abolagba and‎ Mr Osaze Jesuorobo, who spoke for Edo Central, North and South senatorial‎ districts, respectively, assured the governor of their readiness to harmonise.

Edo to immortalise late Prof. Victor Uwaifo, as family rolls out burial plans

The Edo State Government has disclosed plans to immortalise late music maestro, Prof. Victor Uwaifo, for his contributions to the development of Edo State and the country.

Chief of Staff to the Governor, Osaigbovo Iyoha, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the Government House in Benin City.

According to Iyoha, "In a couple of days, you will know what we are doing as a government to immortalise our son and legendary musical icon. Plans are on in this regard and will be unveiled before the end of the burial ceremony.”

He added that the state government has deemed it necessary to join the family to give the music icon a befitting burial, adding, “Late Prof. Victor Uwaifo has brought honour to Edo State and Nigeria, bringing us to global recognition.”

The government, in collaboration with the Uwaifo family, also unveiled a four-day programme of activities for the burial of the music legend.

The burial ceremony is expected to kick-off on Thursday, 14th October 2021, with a day of Tributes, Vigil Mass/Service of Songs at Ogbe Hard-court, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, from 2 pm to 6 pm.

Friday 15th October 2021, which is the second day of the programme will be for the lying in state at Ogbe Hard-court, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium from 9 am to 1 pm. This will be followed by Requiem Mass, as well as interment on the same day between1 and 3 pm.

Day three, which is Saturday 16th, October 2021, there will be social activities at Garrick Playground, Ekenwan Road, Benin City, by 12 noon.

The four-day programme will end on Sunday 17th October 2021, with a Thanksgivings Service at Holy Cross Catholic Cathedral, Mission Road Benin City, from 11 am prompt.

PHOTO CAPTION

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R-L: Chief of Staff to the Edo State Governor, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha; son of late Prof. Victor Uwaifo, Alexander Osamudiame Uwaifo and the spokesman to Prof. Victor Uwaifo, Chris Osaretin Eburu, during a press conference to announce the burial arrangement of late Prof. Victor Uwaifo, at the Government House, Benin City on Monday, October 11, 2021.

Edo Justice Ministry organises staff retreat, as New AG, Iyamu sets to mainstream MEGA Agenda

The Edo State Ministry of Justice has concluded plans to organise a retreat for its staff, aimed at setting an agenda and developing work plans to enable the ministry meet its statutory obligation to the people and government of Edo State.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Iyamu SAN, in a chat with journalists, said the retreat will be held at the John Odigie Oyegun Training Centre on Tuesday, October 12, 2021.

According to him, “The Edo State Ministry of Justice, under the new Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice has hit the ground running. The retreat is being organized to that effect in pursuit of the new assignment. We are organizing a full-day retreat, which encompasses a performance review, agenda-setting, and future work plans for the entire ministry in line with the charge given by His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki at the swearing-in of new commissioners on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.”

He said the programme will involve in-depth and rigorous review sessions and presentations across all the departments in the Ministry, as well as team-building activities designed to foster synergy in what is the largest law chamber in Edo State.

“Internal and external resources persons are scheduled to be involved in the process and it is expected that at the end of the day, a clear roadmap for improved service delivery to Edo government and people by the ministry would have been established."

He observed that even though he had spent years in the Ministry of Justice in other capacities, “it was time to translate the experiences gained over the years, the challenges of the period which we are going through and the Making Edo Great Again (MEGA) Agenda of Mr. Governor into a tangible plan of action towards producing a Ministry of Justice that serves the needs of Edo people, leverages on all available technologies and is in compliance with world-class best standards.”

https://www.thecable.ng/ikhides-futile-attempt-to-rewrite-obasekis-accomplishments-in-education

Ikhide’s futile attempt to rewrite Obaseki’s accomplishments in education


BY[b] CRUSOE OSAGIE
[/b]
In the last 11 months, since the commencement of the second term of His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, there is one individual I have been shocked not to have run into either in the waiting room of the Secretary to the Edo State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie Esq., or that of the Chief of Staff, Mr. Osaigbovo Iyoha. That individual is Mr. Erasmus Ikhide.

Ikhide is known to pay repeated visits to any new government in place in his home state, Edo State, to offer his gun for hire or draw the battle line should the political actors he approaches refuse to yield to his coercion.

In the first tenure of the Obaseki government, I had a chance encounter with Ikhide both in the office of the SSG, Mr. Ogie and that of the one-time Chief-of-Staff to Governor Obaseki, Mr. Taiwo Akerele.

In both occasions, the two senior government officials asked me to accommodate him, citing how fiery he could be with his pen.

Thereafter, I invited him to my office for a chat and soon realised that he was just playing his script of trying to intimidate government officials with something to hide into offering him an appointment in the media and communication arm of government or parting with financial patronage from time to time.

Unfortunately for Ikhide, in this irresponsible voyage to the Obaseki-led government, he would go back empty-handed for two major reasons. The first is that this time, the man at the helm of the management of the governor’s media and communication architecture was my humble self, an experienced journalist and media manager who has had to deal with Ikhide’s types many times before either as colleagues in the newsroom or as boogeymen going after clients I have worked for as a media consultant.

The second reason was that there was really nothing untoward going on in Obaseki’s government that anyone needed to give hush-patronage to cover.

So, I told Ikhide at the time to go to hell in such a polite way that he looked forward to the journey in delight.

Ikhide cannot deny these visits because in those lobbies in Government House where he used to lurk, waiting for nickels and dimes to fall, there are security cameras which are stored in a repository with date and time that can prove that he was at these places on those days.

It is important to beam some light on the character of the author of some of these sanctimonious articles so as to protect the innocent and unsuspecting reading public from accepting con-men as whistleblowers.

I recall an admonition I got from a senior colleague, Nik Ogbulie, when I was in my twenties and had just taken up this challenging career of journalism: “there must be a more honorable way to earn a living.”

Ogbulie was referring to the strongarm tactic which some irresponsible journalists relied on to get patronage. Ikhide should have received this counsel much earlier in his career as a writer.

As for the tissues of lies he spewed in his article “Decaying State of Education Under Godwin Obaseki’s Watch,” it was very annoying to read a piece packed with total falsehood from the heading to the last line. Ikhide premised the preposterous conclusion he made in his headline on zero facts and logic. He did not even attempt to tell the lies in such a way that they are believable. No verifiable indices such as number of out of school pupils in Edo compared to other states or the rate of success of students from Edo who sit for standardized national and international examinations.

Nothing on the teacher-student ratio or the state of physical infrastructure of schools in Edo, among others, in the drivel.
It was just a garrulous tale of lies printed by unsuspecting media handles intended to deceive people who don’t live in Edo.

Governor Obaseki’s expansive footprint in the education sector is one that is as transformational as it is groundbreaking. The seismic shift has been witnessed in the basic education sub-sector, with foundational revamp ongoing in technical and vocational education, as well as other institutions of higher learning.

In the last two weeks, public announcements have been made for admission into the Edo State College of Nursing Sciences, which was recently reaccredited to offer 3-year nursing programmes by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). This college used to be the Edo State School of Nursing and Midwifery, which was an eyesore when the governor took office.

The rot was so deep that the governor couldn’t fathom that the state was training nurses in an institution with such deplorable infrastructure and inefficient management system. It was said that not only were the courses at the school not accredited by the NMCN, but that the graduates could not secure gainful employment because of the poor standard of training.

The revamp process has seen the rebuilding of the school and its restructuring to a college specializing in nursing science. New lecture halls have been erected; offices have been remodeled; laboratories have been fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and a new management structure has taken foot. A visit to the college site on Limit Road, along Sapele Road will expose the devious hatchet job undertaken by Ikhide to hoodwink the public with lies.

In the same light, the Edo State College of Education has been transformed into a multi-campus institution with campuses in Abudu, Igueben and Afuze. The college has a new management and is set to resume academic activities early next year. New teachers have been recruited to deliver quality education.

With the new arrangement, instead of having disarticulated colleges scattered across the state, with little or no administrative cohesion and sub-standard tutoring, the state now boasts of a multi-campus College of Education, with a main campus and two sister campuses, catering to the educational needs of Edo youths.

While the campus in Abudu is focused on special teachers education on primary education with a digital training centre; the Igueben campus specialises in secondary and science teachers education and the Afuze campus is meant for Technical Education, Physical Education and Special Education.

The Edo State College of Agriculture with campuses in Iguoriakhi, Uromi and Agenebode is another institution of higher learning that has received a lot of attention. The new multi-campus college is taking shape with work completed on the design of how the campuses will harness the natural resources in the state to drive growth and development. While a 1000-seater auditorium is nearing completion, with a number of facilities being built at the main-campus in Iguoriakhi, the government is concluding the process of recruiting capable hands to man the college when it welcomes its first crop of students early next year.

The government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme is also well on course with the revamp of the Government Science and Technical College (GSTC), Benin City, recruitment of over 104 teachers and a roll-out of a scheme to refurbish all the technical colleges in the state with support from development partners.

The reforms at the Ambrose Alli University, the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen and Edo University, Uzairue are all testaments to how Governor Obaseki has placed education on a high pedestal in the state. With dynamic management supported by the Obaseki-led government at these institutions, deep-rooted re-engineering has birthed changes that continue to drive growth and development.

Aside these efforts, a much-needed fundamental change introduced at the basic education sub-sector through the Edo State Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme has drastically improved learning outcomes in primary schools across the state, impacting over 200,000 pupils with over 11,400 teachers trained to deliver instructions in an exciting manner aided by digital technology.

The impact of the programme has seen pupils learn three times more than they would in a term as well as improvements in numeracy and literacy skills across primary schools in the state. The success of this programme earned the Governor the Best Performing Governor Award in 2019 by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT). The World Economic Forum, on account of the feat recorded through EdoBEST, listed Edo State as one of the top 5 governments in Africa blazing the trail in solving learning poverty.

That Ikhide decided to turn a blind eye to these and undertake a fruitless, vainglorious rant filled with lies tells a lot about his character deficit and also exposes his intention to turn facts on its head for pecuniary gains from his paymaster.

The public is advised to be wary of his lot, as their intention is really to obfuscate reality for a loaf of bread and not to serve the public good.

Osagie is the special adviser, media projects to Godwin Obaseki