₦airaland Forum

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has inaugurated a 16-man Committee for the 2018 Edo State Festival for Arts and Culture (EDOFEST), with a charge to promote the rich culture of the people.

At the inauguration of the Committee held in Government House in Benin City, Edo State capital, Obaseki urged the committee to use the occasion of the event to promote Edo’s rich cultural heritage as a force of unity and progress.

“We have huge plans for tourism in Edo State. One key anchor of our thematic pillars is to emphasise tourism and culture which are major assets we have as a state,” he added.

The governor said his administration intends to market the people’s rich culture as there are fewer states in Nigeria that can boast of such quality and diversity of culture.

Obaseki said his administration is committed to hosting the festival in 2018 as expectations are high, noting that the best is expected from the committee.

The Chairman EDOFEST Committee and Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Osaze Osemwegie-Ero, expressed appreciation to the governor for the confidence in the committee and assured the governor that the Committee will not fail in their responsibility.

“We will do our best to make the event memorable and ensure 2018 festival is better than 2017,” he added.


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Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (right); Chairman, 2018 Edo State Festival for Arts and Culture (EDOFEST) Committee and Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Osaze Osemwegie-Ero (2nd right), and Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe (left), during the inauguration of the 2018 EDOFEST Committee at Government House in Benin City, on Tuesday, August 14, 2018.

On behalf of the people and government of Edo State, I congratulate you as you clock 79 years, and adding to your rich bouquet of experience, as an astute and thoroughbred export of good governance and public administration from Edo State.

We celebrate your doggedness and integrity, which are evidenced in the various offices you have held, including being the former governor of our dear state and most recently, the immediate past National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Your contributions to Nigeria’s development, an unyielding commitment to probity and excellence and the unwavering passion to impact lives have stood you out as a worthy son of Edo land and we are very proud of your achievements.

We wish you more years of impactful life in all your endeavours.



Godwin Obaseki,

Governor, Edo State

The Edo State Government has described as false and “fake news” insinuations making the rounds in the traditional and new media suggesting that the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration is hindered by huge inherited debt, urging Edo people and residents and other stakeholders to disregard the fake report.

“Our attention has been drawn to publications with headline suggesting that the Obaseki government is hindered by huge inherited debts. We want to unequivocally state that this report is completely false and none of the media outfits that published it can provide any proof what so ever, either by voice recording or signed statement, to show that Obaseki made this comment,” Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy to Edo State Governor, Crusoe Osagie, said in a statement.

He added that “the statement is not true and was never made” and advised “Edo people and all Nigerians to completely disregard and discountenance the report as fake news and a mere fabrication with no basis whatsoever in fact.”

Osagie stressed that “The report is the figment of the imagination of the individuals who published it” and lamented that “the publication goes a long way to show how much the noble journalism profession has been invaded by people who do not have any training what so ever to do the job.”

According to him, “The Edo State Government under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki is not hindered by debt obligations. All our projects are being undertaken as planned and the terms of our facilities from the World Bank and the Federal Government are liberal with repayment period of over twenty (20) years.”

He averred that “As chairman of the Economic Team, under former governor Adams Oshiomhole, Governor Obaseki negotiated most of these concessionary loans from International Development Agencies (IDAs). Thankfully, we have road and other infrastructure to show for these facilities across the state today.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that ruled the state for close to a decade ran the state aground as Edo infrastructural facilities were in a state of decay as at the time the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led interventionist administration took over power. Edo roads were called “Lucky Stones”, a metaphor for the shoddy road patchwork done by the then PDP administration, using oversize stones. Some roads were ‘constructed’ on paper, but were not constructed in real life.”

He added that “The allocated funds were used for frivolous birthday parties at a time thousands of Lower and Upper Sokponba residents were declared as people living in ‘Morocco’ and others in ‘Spain’, separated by the impassable and abandoned St Maria Goretti Road Junction.

“Siluko Road by Teachers’ House in Ogida area, the popular Five Junction on Uselu-Lagos Road, and several such areas in the state that were cut off from Benin City are now being accessed by road users with great pleasure.

“The ongoing efforts at consolidating on these achievements have ushered our people into a new era that is driven by industrialisation, with the coming on stream of the fertiliser plant in Auchi, which will be followed by the Benin Industrial Park, the Benin River Port amongst others,” the governor’s aide said.

Source: http://thebellng.com/edo-govt-not-hindered-by-inherited-debt-obaseki/

Obaseki's Education Reform: Edo SUBEB To Graduate 5000 Primary School Teachers In Batches

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki's basic education reforms have received a major boost, as the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is set to graduate three batches of 5, 000 teachers under the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) Teachers' Professional Development (TPD) phase II programme.

In a statement, Acting Chairman Edo SUBEB and Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe said, "the graduation/passing-out ceremonies of the three batches of Edo-BEST Phase II Training Programme are being organised for the 5, 000 teachers selected across the three senatorial districts of the state."

According to Dr. Osa Oviawe, the ceremonies will be held on August 17, 31 and September 14, at the Samuel Ogbemudia College Hall, in Benin City.

She lauded the support of Governor Obaseki, noting that the feat "would not have been possible without the huge support of the governor in the ongoing effort at reenacting Basic Education sector in the state."

Recall that while addressing journalists on the training, Dr. Osa Oviawe noted that "By September, the state government would have successfully trained a total of 7000 teachers and outfitted them with digital devices and smart phones for the headteachers."

She said, "We would have successfully migrated up to 190,000 pupils onto a new teaching pedagogy and method that is learner-centered, constructivist, nurturing and teaching without corporal punishment."

"By September 2018, 62% of our 1200 public primary schools in Edo state would be in the Edo-BEST programme. We are also gearing up to begin renovation and construction of over 230 primary schools across the state," she added.

Photographs of the three armed robbers killed in a gun duel with the police. The bodies were paraded by the Edo State Police Commissioner on Friday, August 10, 2018 in Benin City, Edo State.



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Three of the armed robbers who were killed in a gun duel with the Police during the foiled robbery attack on a bank in Igarra, in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State on Thursday, August 9, 2018.

Igarra Bank Robbery: Obaseki Commends Police For Foiling Attack, Commiserates With Victims

…pledges more support for security agencies, as 3 robbers, others are killed

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has commended the gallantry of men of the Edo State Police Command, who foiled a robbery attack on a bank in Igarra, in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.

Obaseki expressed regret over the death of some persons while the attack lasted and prayed for the repose of their souls.

He said those that were wounded would be treated and assured that the state government is working assiduously to rid the state of criminal elements, through vigorous synergy with the various security agencies in the state.

“The attack is unfortunate and we will do all within our power to forestall such heinous incidents in the future,” the governor said.

He said the bravery of men of the state police command is an evidence of the ongoing reforms and synergy between the state government and the hierarchy of the Police.

The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, said that the attack was foiled by the combined force of Policemen, who were on guard duty at the two banks in the vicinity, noting that three of the armed robbers were killed during a gun duel.

While parading the bodies of the dead criminals at the State Police Headquarters, in Benin City, on Friday, he said that two civilians and a Police Inspector were killed, when members of the gang staged a simultaneous attack at the nearest Police station in the area.

According to him, “The attack on the bank in Igarra was on Keystone Bank, and not on two banks.

“Actually, there are two banks in the vicinity, and adjacent to each other. One is keystone Bank, the second is Unity Bank. The marauding criminals actually attacked Keystone Bank, but they met with very stiff opposition from Policemen who were on duty at Unity Bank and Keystone Bank. They were men of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force (MOPOL 60), Edo State,” Kokumo said.

“They were able to give a very good account of the stuff they are made of in a gun duel that ensued between the criminals and the policemen who were on bank guard duty. Three of the criminals were gunned down. Here you see them with their operational weapons recovered,” he added.

On reports that the criminals attacked a police station in Igarra, he said, “Criminals will always evolve different means of perpetuating their acts. What this gang of criminals did was to divide themselves into two halves. One of them had gone to the Police station ostensibly to prevent the Police from responding to possible distress call from the bank when the attack would have been wrecked on the bank. The second half went to Keystone Bank for the attack.

“The moment the distress call went to the Police station, there was no way the Policemen at the station could hasten down to prevent them. The ones at the Police station were the ones that wreaked the havoc, killing two civilians and one Police inspector. I would regard that as the minus of the operation, but on the whole, it is sad that we lost an inspector of Police to this criminal gang. Three of the armed robbers were gunned down,” the police commissioner said.

He denied claims that some persons lost their lives at the bank premises, noting, “After the encounter, two of the armed robbers were actually dead. The third one was not dead as at the time the Police swooped on them; he was able to give us useful information that we are processing with a view to apprehending others who have taken to flight.”

Obaseki urged Edo people and residents to rely on credible sources of information as unscrupulous individuals in the society are determined to misrepresent facts and spread outright falsehood and fear on the social and other media platforms.

Source: http://thebellng.com/igarra-bank-robbery-obaseki-commends-police-for-foiling-attack-commiserates-with-victims/

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Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, addressing journalists at the State Police Headquarters in Benin City on Friday on the foiled robbery attack on a bank in Igarra, in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, on Thursday, August 10, 2018

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Cross-section of Edo State 2018 intending Hajj Pilgrims, at Hajj Camp, in Benin City, on Thursday, August 9, 2018.

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Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki (2nd right); Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kabiru Adjoto (2nd left); Commissioner for Youth and Special Duties, Hon Mika Amanokha (left); and Chairman, Edo State Muslim Pilgrims' Welfare Board, Sheikh Ibrahim Oyarekhua (right) after the farewell ceremony for the 2018 intending Hajj Pilgrims, at Hajj Camp, in Benin City, on Thursday, August 9, 2018.

...donates bus to Pilgrims' Welfare Board

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Thursday charged the 130 Edo State's intending pilgrims, comprising 77 females and 53 males, to be good ambassadors of the state and country in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Obaseki, who gave the charge in his farewell message to the pilgrims at the Hajj Camp Ground in Benin City, the Edo State capital, assured that his administration is committed to the overall wellbeing of all Edo people and residents.

He urged the pilgrims to make the state proud through their conduct in the holy land.

"God has been good to us in Edo State as we have lived peacefully with one another. The peaceful coexistence is as a result of prayers by Edo people and residents, and we are determined to create a state that will be fair to all," he added.

The governor commended the Sheikh Ibrahim Oyarekhua-led Edo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for the transparent manner it has handled the affairs of the board in the last one year.

"I am proud that I made the right board appointments with the amount of progress the board has made under the present leadership. I am delighted at the board's performance and I donate a bus to the board to enhance its performance."

Obaseki saluted the 2017 Amiru Hajj, Abdulfatai Enabulele, whose detailed report, according to him, helped his administration in planning this year's pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He pledged that his administration will support the intending pilgrims to ensure they are comfortable before their departure to Lagos next week.

The 2018 Amiru Hajj and Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Adjoto, commended the Edo State governor for approving the reconstruction of the Hajj Camp and road leading to the camp.

"As Amiru Hajj, I will ensure that our pilgrims are protected, secure and safe in the holy land while performing the Hajj," the speaker said, and made a case for the decentralisation of the Hajj operations by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to forestall unnecessary delay in the air-lifting of pilgrims to Mecca.

The chairman of the board, Sheikh Ibrahim Oyarekhua, thanked the governor for the appointment, and disclosed that the over eight million naira debt his board inherited has been cleared.

He explained that Edo State pilgrims used to pay the second highest fare to Mecca, and informed that the efforts of the board, with the support of the Amiru Hajj, have brought down the cost, as the state now pays the cheapest fare to the holy land.

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Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki (middle); Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kabiru Adjoto (left); and Chairman, Edo State Muslim Pilgrims' Welfare Board, Sheikh Ibrahim Oyarekhua; after the farewell ceremony for the 2018 intending Hajj Pilgrims, at Hajj Camp, in Benin City, on Thursday, August 9, 2018.

Int’l Youth Day: Edo Govt, Oxfam Stake N500,000 For Best Tech, Agric Ideas

The Edo State Government and Oxfam, an International Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), have staked a N500,000 seed fund as well as incubator and accelerator packages for top three business ideas at a pitch competition taking place at the Edo Innovation Hub.

The pitch is part of activities lined up for the International Youth Day commemoration at the technology hub on August 10, in Benin City.

The Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration has pioneered a youth-centric programme that prioritises capacity building in technology and technical fields for young people in an effort to drive industrialisation and wealth creation.

Speaking on the partnership with the state government on the International Youth Day commemoration, Project Lead/Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Programme Coordinator, Oxfam, Mr. Michael Adeola, said that the event provides a space for youths to engage with policymakers on their peculiar challenges.

He added that top technology companies such as Hotels.ng, Andela and Facebook are billed to be at the event, which is themed Safe Spaces for Youths, to educate youths on their capacity building initiatives and how Edo youths can leverage such training for personal development and wealth creation.

According to him, “We designed the event in such a way that it gives young people the opportunity to express themselves and let policymakers know about the challenges they face. It is an open space for them to discuss their challenges and the policymakers are there to listen to them. They will go back and design programmes and policies to serve the young people better, because nobody can talk about the challenges of youths better than the youths themselves.”

On the pitch competition, he said, “We are calling on young people who have business ideas that can solve a social problem and make social impact. All they need to do is to send us a two minutes video. The innovations should be in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) or agriculture.

“There will be a pre-pitch, where we will select the best five, who will then pitch to the audience at the International Youth Day event. We will select the best three, who will get seed fund and incubator or accelerator packages. The first place winner will get N250,000; second place gets N150,000 and the third place gets N100,000. Each of the prize winners will get either an incubator or accelerator package depending on the stage of their idea.”

He said Edo state is one of the project states for Oxfam’s Work-in-Progress project, focused on youth employment, noting that the interest in the state is as a result of the progressive nature of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration.

“In Edo, we have been conducting employability training for young people. The training involves building their Curriculum Vitae, preparing them for the workplace and others. At the end of the training, the trainees often ask, what next? So, we organise job fairs where we invite private and public sector organisations that are interested in recruiting these young people.

“Usually they have a direct opportunity to get interviews, they would have been applying and didn’t get a face-to-face interview with a potential employer. During those job fairs, private and public companies attend and we are able to place them on jobs.

"Over the past two years, we have supported 528 youths in employability skills training in Lagos and Edo states. We have been able to place 338 of them in jobs and internship programmes through the job fairs.”

On the state government’s posture, he said, “We see that the government is very progressive. I attended an event in Abuja, where the government assembled development partners, wanting to know what each of them is doing in Edo and what they hope to offer in the future. The governor and his deputy were there and were quite engaging. So, we see the government of Edo State as very progressive and partners we could work with in getting young people into jobs and creating employment opportunities for them.”

The Edo State Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) has declared a total of N3.2 billion as the total allocation that accrued to the state in the month of July.

The state recorded an increase of N300 million compared to the previous month, when it hauled in a total of N2.9 billion.

Chairman, Oredo Local Government Area, Mr. Evbareke Jenkins Osunde, disclosed this while briefing newsmen shortly after the end of JAAC meeting presided over by the Governor of the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

Osunde said that of the N3, 243, 012,057.44 teachers' salaries will gulp N1, 091, 070, 754. 84 while pensions fund contribution stood at N264, 115, 845.36.

He added that the total deduction for July stood at N1, 667, 738, 909.66 and net allocation shared was N1, 406, 769, 191.71.

He said that the governor also approved a special grant for traditional rulers through the Local Government Councils, assuring that details of the grant would be announced later.

Recall that JAAC recorded N5 million increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the local councils in June, which formed part of the N2.9 billion declared for the month.

Osunde had noted that the internally generated revenue in local councils increased from N206 million recorded in May to N211 million recorded in June 2018.

"Teachers' salaries deducted for June was N1,081,654,814.22, contribution for pension fund stood at N264, 115, 845.36, while pension arrears paid was N100 million," Osunde was quoted as saying and lauded Governor Obaseki for assisting local councils with the payment of workers' salary for the month of June.


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L-R: Chairman, Etsako West Local Government Area, Hon. Yakubu Musa; Chairman, Esan South-East Local Government Area, Hon. Victor Emuakhagbon; Chairman of both Oredo Local Government and the Edo State Chapter of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Evbareke Jenkins Osunde; and Chairman, Etsako Central Local Government Council, Comrade Akhigbe Osi John, briefing newsmen shortly after the State Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting presided over by Governor Godwin Obaseki, at Government House in Benin City.

Source:

http://thebellng.com/edo-joint-account-allocation-committee-declares-n3-2bn-for-july/

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…says new database, best practice non-negotiable


The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Monday reeled out the new direction of ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sectors, at a meeting with the new executive members of the Edo State chapter of Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN).

According to Obaseki, the suspension of mining activity at burrow pits across the state by his administration, signalled the beginning of a new era in the sector and declared that the state government would work with the association to revamp the sector.

“We want to work closely with you to help recertify and build a data base of your members, put formal and formidable structures in place to tackle the challenges in the sector, expand its scope and make mining viable in the State,” the governor told his guests at the Government House in Benin City.

He explained that the decision to suspend sand mining at burrow pits was to check activities that can impact negatively on the environment and cause flooding and mud slides.

“A lot of work needs to be done at the operational and regulatory levels as modalities need to be put in place to have a viable mining industry in the state. We will ensure that the mining laws and practices are right, and that the risks involved are reduced," he stressed, adding that aside agriculture and the service sectors, mining is one area his administration is looking at critically, to turn around the fortunes of the state.

He noted that the partnership with MAN, would include the introduction of mining in the curriculum of Benin Science and Technical College, to help train workers for the industry.

Earlier, the Chairman of MAN, Engr. Mike Okhumode, commended the governor for what he described as “people-oriented projects” and policies that have brought confidence to people in the state.

He appealed to the governor to lift the suspension on sand mining at burrow pits and assured that members of his association would comply strictly with the new guidelines.

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R-L: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Chairman, Edo State chapter of Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Engr. Mike Okhumode; Vice Chairman, MAN, Mr. Frank Chukwuma; and Secretary, MAN, Engr. Kingsley Ezekwere, during a meeting with the governor, at Government House, Benin City, Edo State, on Monday, August 6, 2018.

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…data show root causes, push factors, others

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the state government is sincere about the fight against human trafficking and the challenges posed by the menace.

Obaseki said living in denial will not help the fight, which explains why his administration carried out extensive research to situate the root causes and tackle it head on relying on evidential data gathered from returnees.

The governor, who disclosed this at the 2018 National Alumni Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, in Ibadan, in a lecture entitled Technical Education and Skills Acquisition As Imperative for Youth Empowerment, said that data collected from Libya returnees and other victims of human trafficking have revealed the complexities of human trafficking particularly the scope, travel routes and communities most prone to the menace.

According to Obaseki, “As you might be aware, Edo State was almost becoming synonymous with human trafficking. Today, the story is different. We have admitted that it is our challenge. From our investigations we now have a better understanding of the root causes, the push and pull factors, etcetera. Our analysis and research from the data that we have gathered have assisted us tremendously in understanding the size, scope, demographics, travel routes and the communities most prone to trafficking. In other words, we now have a better understanding of how complex the problem is.”

Explaining that the state government has set up an elaborate plan to revamp Technical and Vocational Training and Education (TVET) in the state, as a means to make youths productive, he said, “We closed and redesigned the Government Science and Technical College in Benin, and we are currently rebuilding it to reflect contemporary requirements for a full-fledged technical college.

“We have equally redesigned the courses to make them demand-driven. The World Bank being impressed by these strides has contributed 1.2 Million Dollars (400 Million Naira) to this project and is set to invest an additional 2.7 Million Dollars (one billion Naira) in the coming year.”

He noted that a lot has to be done to change the perception of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Nigeria by currying public support, redesigning the institutions and putting them under quality management.

He said the focus on technical education was imperative because of the dearth of skilled man-power across the country to meet the demand for technical labour. “We may all be familiar with the fact that if you require the services of good tailors today you go the Republic of Benin or Ghana. When you want to build a gazebo in your compound, roof a house or lay tiles, the recommendations we receive are for skilled artisans from neighbouring countries.

“In similar vein, many of us have patronised hotels, restaurants, shops, carpenters, welders, and mechanics in contemporary Nigeria. In many cases, the service you receive must have brought you close to tears and at great cost. This is because, many of these artisans received peripheral apprenticeship with a so-called master and “graduate” with no proper certifications or experience. This is a further illustration of the predicament we have found ourselves in Nigeria today.”


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Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki (2nd right); Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq. (right); Head of Service, Mrs. Gladys Idahor (left); and Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Chief Osaro Idah (2nd left), during the 2018 National Alumni Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, at the Trenchard Hall, of the University.

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Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki (3rd right), having fun with students and playing a rhythm on the talking drum, during the 2018 National Alumni Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, at the Trenchard Hall, of the University.

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Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki (2nd right); Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq. (right); Head of Service, Mrs. Gladys Idahor (left); and Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Chief Osaro Idah (2nd left), during the 2018 National Alumni Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, at the Trenchard Hall, of the University.

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Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki (2nd left); Oyo State Deputy Governor/representative of the Governor, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo (2nd right); National President, University of Ibadan Alumni Association, Dr. Kemi Emina (left); and Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Abel Olayinka (right), during the 2018 National Alumni Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, at the Trenchard Hall of the University.

Youth Unemployment: Obaseki proffers technical education as panacea at UI Alumni Lecture

…tells ''How We Are Repositioning Economy, TVET In Edo''

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the absence of a robust, well-modelled quality technical and vocational education is responsible for the frightening national unemployment figures.

Governor Obaseki said this while delivering the 2018 National Alumni Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, in Trenchard Hall, Ibadan, on Friday.

Other eminent Nigerians that have delivered the National Alumni Lecture include former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Grace Alele-Williams; the immediate-past National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief John Odigi-Oyegun; the late Chief Bola Ige and Gamaliel Onosode, amongst others.

In the lecture entitled, Technical Education and Skills Acquisition As Imperative for Youth Empowerment, Obaseki said that a lot has to be done to change the perception of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) by fostering public support, redesigning the institutions and putting them under quality management.

On his return to the school for the Alumni Lecture, the governor, who graduated from the university in 1976, said “It is indeed a great pleasure to return to this great institution, an intellectual haven that molded me in the very best traditions of research, leadership, administration, the arts, understanding of the values of life and the centrality of human progress as the measure of labour.”

According to him, “we have neglected technical and vocational education for far too long. The discrimination that polytechnic graduates still suffer after graduation is a clear illustration of this situation. Many technical schools have been converted to regular schools to produce all sorts of “certificates”.

“Others are simply glorified institutions with nothing technical about them; certainly not in the curriculum, not in technology nor in the faculties, facility and general infrastructure. In this way, we have gradually lost the vision and mission of producing a cadre of skilled young Nigerians to perform technical responsibilities in government, industry and general services.

“It is no wonder therefore, that many foreign investors bring their own staff using legal and underhand tactics to comply with or evade the quota system for expatriate labour.”

On reforms in the TVET sub-sector in the state, he said, “We closed and redesigned the Government Science and Technical College in Benin, and we are currently rebuilding it to reflect contemporary requirements for a full-fledged technical college. We have equally redesigned the courses to make them demand-driven. The World Bank being impressed by these strides has contributed 1.2 Million Dollars (400 Million Naira) to this project and is set to invest an additional 2.7 Million Dollars (one billion Naira) in the coming year.”

He said the state government is carrying out surgical restructuring on the tertiary institutions, which include the restructuring of the state College of Agriculture into three new campuses in Iguoriakhi (Edo South), Uromi (Edo Central) and Agenebode (Edo North) as well as the Edo State Polytechnic in Usen (formerly Institute of Management and Technology), which is being repurposed to serve the needs of the state and the private sector.

On the state government’s job creation drive, he said, “In order to further create stronger linkages between industry and job seekers, one of the first initiatives of my government was to create EdoJobs, an initiative that has now evolved into a Skills Development Centre. The objective was first, to obtain data on the numbers, qualifications, locations, and interests of Edo youths. Second, was to provide training and employability support, and the third was to match the trained youths with private sector employers through the new synergy we have established. So far, over 45,000 jobs have been created through self-employment or placements with the private sector.”

Noting that there has been an aggressive drive to reposition the state as an investment destination, he said, “The State Government has designed a development strategy based on widespread consultation with stakeholders. Based on our six thematic pillars – Institutional Reform, Economic Revolution, Infrastructure Development, Socio-welfare Enhancement, Environmental Sustainability and Culture and Tourism.

“We have commenced the design and the development of a 996 hectares Industrial Park and development of the Benin River Port. We have also successfully launched a new industrial programme including revision of incentives to investors, introduction of new technology in revenue collection, establishing a Public Private Partnership office and an Edo Investment Promotion Bureau, initiating an Ease of Doing Business campaign and establishing an Industrial Park.”

Earlier, the National President, University of Ibadan Alumni Association, Dr. Kemi Emina, said that Governor Obaseki’s leadership style in Edo stood him out for this year's lecture.

Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, said that the number of graduates produced yearly requires a well-planned strategy to integrate them into the Nigerian economy.

Olayinka said graduates would need to augment their education with technical education and vocational training to be able to surmount the challenge of unemployment.

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Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki (2nd left); Oyo State Deputy Governor/representative of the Governor, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo (right); Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Abel Olayinka (middle); National President, University of Ibadan Alumni Association, Dr. Kemi Emina (left); and Chairman, Lecture Award Committee, Prof. Olufunke Adewoye. (2nd right), during the 2018 National Alumni Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, at the Trenchard Hall of the University.

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The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his administration created the Ward Development Committees to spread developmental projects and improve the wellbeing of the people so as to discourage human trafficking and irregular migration.

Obaseki disclosed this at an International Conference organised by the Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking, to examine the root causes of human trafficking in the state.

He noted that among the factors that have contributed to the incidence of human trafficking, are “lack of access to development. We found that areas prone to trafficking lack government presence and basic amenities to support decent living.”

“We are working on a new paradigm as a government because I was shocked when I went campaigning in some communities. Our response is to take government directly to people at the grassroots, cutting through those constitutional structures which have been in place but are not as effective as they should be,” he said.

Obaseki explained, “We have the state government and local government structures, but unfortunately, they have not responded as they should to changing the developmental narrative at the grassroots.

“We had to come up with the concept of Ward Development Committee, through which we are actually going to the wards, which is the smallest political unit. We are getting community participation, understanding the requirements for development in these communities and we are addressing those needs directly.”

The governor added, “Two local government areas that are most prone to the danger – with reference to the data we have – are Uhunmwode and Orhionmwon local government areas. This is where we have people being trafficked the most. These two local government areas occupy almost a third of the land mass of Edo State. There is no ATM in any of these areas and these are the two local governments that host almost half a million people.

“In this age and time, almost half a million people in these areas are financially excluded. As a young man, will you live in any of those communities?” He retorted.

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Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (2nd right); representative of the Chief of Mission, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Nigeria, Abraham Tamrat (2nd left); Deputy Head of European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Richard Young (right); and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice/ Chairman, Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe (left), during the conference on ‘Examining the Root Causes of Human Trafficking’ in Edo State,’ held in Benin City, Edo State capital.

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The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has announced the award of contract for the reconstruction of Ugbor- Amagba Road in Benin City, which will bring to an end the frustration experienced by users of the road.

Obaseki who made this known during a courtesy visit by the Registrar, West African Examination Council (WAEC), Dr. Uyi Uwadiae, in Government House, Benin City, assured that the reconstruction work would last 12 months.

The governor explained that the request for the reconstruction of the Ugbor-Amagba Road received the blessing of the Edo State Executive Committee, in line with his administration’s commitment to invest in infrastructure and enhance the quality of life of Edo people and residents in the state.

Earlier, the WAEC Registrar, expressed his excitement about the governor’s decision to reconstruct the Ugbor-Amaga Road, which also links the South-South Computer-based Centre of the examination body.

Uwadiae explained that following the federal government’s approval to partner with WAEC in setting up Computer-based Test Centres in each of the six geopolitical zones in the country, the South-South Centre was sited in Ugbor area of Benin City, and would take six hundred candidates.

He noted that the road, when constructed will make access to the examination facility easier for candidates.

Uwadiae maintained that the decision to bring cutting-edge technology to the doorsteps of stakeholders in the education sector was informed by current global trends such as e-testing and e-marking.

Obaseki further assured of his administration’s readiness to extend other forms of support to WAEC in order to raise the standard of education in the state.

He shared with his guests, the progress so far recorded by the state with the deployment of technology in teaching, a component of the Edo State Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme.

He charged the WAEC registrar and other members of his team to address the issue of examination malpractice among students.

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Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki (right); and the Registrar, West African Examination Council (WAEC), Dr. Uyi Uwadiae, during the Registrar’s courtesy visit to the governor, at the Government House, in Benin City, Edo State.

...Electoral body urges eligible registrants in 18 LGAs of Edo State to register at Commission's offices

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise will be suspended on August 17, urging the electorates who haven’t registered to take advantage of the window to do so.

A statement signed by the Administrative Secretary, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State, Dr. Richard Ntui, said once the CVR is suspended, eligible voters will only be allowed to register again after the 2019 general elections.

Ntui said, “In order to ensure that prospective registrants are all captured, the Commission’s offices in the 18 local government areas and other centres in the state will remain open for the CVR exercise.

“Collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) will be from 9am-5am daily from August 1 – August 17, 2018, including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.”

He appealed to all eligible registrants who have not registered to take advantage of the window to do so, noting, “Collection of PVCs will continue after the suspension of the CVR.”