₦airaland Forum

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Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has inaugurated a 13-man caretaker committee for the state's butchers’ union, with a charge to restore sanity to the business.

Addressing the committee, which is chaired by Mr Paul Odigie, Obaseki, said that the lingering crisis in the union has become worrisome, noting, “If we don’t nip the problem in the bud, it could escalate.

“No responsible government will sit down and fold its hands and watch a situation like this degenerate.”

He said the state government has taken control of all the activities at the abattoirs to ensure that butchers do not slaughter unauthorised animals, such as donkeys and also to make sure that only government-approved rates are collected.

“I expect that the committee ensures sanity in the business. As a government, we are making a lot of investment in improving the business environment in the state. Edo is a hub; people naturally pass through our state when going to other states.

The goal of our government is to increase the level and quality of economic activities in the state,” he said.

Noting that the state government is committed to strengthening the livestock sector to become a hub in the South-South, he said, “If we are able to organise our livestock business properly in line with standard practice, I don't see why we cannot be the hub of livestock business in the south-south.”

Obaseki charge the committee to ensure that high standard is maintained in all abattoir and government-approved livestock houses and also ensure that all animals are safe for consumption.

In his remark, Odigie expressed his committee's appreciation to the state government for saddling them with the assignment, assuring that they would work within the ambits of the law to bring sanity to operations of the union.

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Front row: Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki (3rd right); Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Monday Osaigbovo (2nd right); Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Chief Osaro Idah (right); and the Chairman of the 13-member Caretaker Committee on the State’s Butcher’s Union, Comrade Paul Akhere Odigie (left); after the inauguration of the committee, at Government House, in Benin City, Edo State, on Wednesday, August 8, 2018

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Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left), acknowledging cheers from traders, during his tour of Ekiosa Market, in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State.

…says govt investigating illegal ticketing

Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has assured traders in Ekiosa Market located in Oredo Local Government Area of the state, of his administration’s commitment to revamp markets across the state.

Obaseki who gave the assurance during a tour of the market, said plans are being concluded to ensure regular electricity supply to the market and disclosed that the claim of illegal ticketing in the market is being investigated.

He told the traders that modern toilet facilities would be provided in the market to improve the sanitary condition of the market.

He maintained that there was need for the state government to improve the infrastructure in the market as the traders spend quality time doing their business, more than the time they spend at home.

“The inspection helps us to have first-hand information about the activities of traders and the condition of the infrastructure in the market, to enable us fix them,” he added.

The governor further said that he has directed that markets in the state should have management committees to take care of sanitation, security, maintenance of infrastructure, particularly power infrastructure in the market so that people can trade in comfort.

“The other reason for my coming is to see for myself, those people that are harassing traders for ticket money. The provision of the law on who collects revenue is very clear.

“You will recall that we amended the local government law on markets and we are currently investigating the claim of illegal printing of tickets,” the governor added.

“We are going to work with Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA) to see how we can create a sustainable financing model for the market,” he said, and assured that the model will come with affordable prices.

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L-R: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Edo State Market Women Leader, Madam Blacky Omoregie; and the Executive Chairman, Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA), Isoken Omo; during the governor’s visit to Ekiosa Market, in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State.

Hope Rises For 190,000 Edo Pupils, As SUBEB Trains 5000 Teachers On Tech-Based Teaching

Not less than 190,000 pupils in public schools in Edo State are billed to be schooled using technology-based teaching aids and methods, as the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) commences training for 5, 000 teachers as part of the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) initiative.

Edo-BEST, launched by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration, is aimed at improving quality at the basic education sub-sector and will see public school teachers using digital devices and aids in teaching.

Addressing journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education and Acting Chairperson, Edo SUBEB, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, noted, "I feel excited that the training has begun for the first of three batches of 5000 primary school teachers."

Dr. Osa Oviawe said that "By September, we would have successfully trained a total of 7000 teachers and outfitted them with digital devices and smart phones for the headteachers."

She explained that at the end of the training, "we would have successfully migrated up to 190,000 pupils onto a new teaching pedagogy that is learner-centered, constructivist, nurturing. It is a method that promotes teaching without corporal punishment."

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

According to her, "Every ward will be positively impacted. We selected at least one school per ward. All these are happening between April 2018 and September 2018. As you can imagine, it takes strong leadership and political will, huge resources, tremendous man hours to deliver on these impressive statistics."

The visibly elated Edo SUBEB boss said, "I feel really privileged to be at the forefront of this epochal change, working for Governor Obaseki, who has the courage to execute this vision for a better future for the teeming children in Edo state. We will not relent in the quest to secure better quality education for them."


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Cross-section of teachers undergoing training on tech-based teaching method in Edo State.

See some of last week's activities of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State chronicled in posters:

OTHERS..

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said that the state and the government of Japan are putting finishing touches to a partnership that will usher investment in infrastructure and human capital development, particularly vocational education, in the state.

The governor said this after a meeting with the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yutaka Kikuta, in Edo House, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

He said the state government was pursuing a robust industrialisation plan to reposition the state as the leading investment destination in Nigeria, and as such needs all the support it can get from development agencies and governments of other countries.

He added that Edo State is working assiduously to revamp vocational education to serve as the fulcrum of the industrialisation mandate in the state, and sought the support of the Japanese government in human capital development.

Explaining that the state government is rehabilitating the Benin Technical College, which is now known as Government Science and Technical College (GSTC), to reflect the realities of a modern, 21st-century technical school, he called on the Japanese government to join in the effort to bequeath in-demand skills to youths in the state.

According to him, the state government has made good her promise to revamp technical education in the state, but needs the input of technical partners, who will strengthen the teaching and training curriculum at the school.

The governor also said that the state is pursuing an aggressive industrialisation plan that includes the development of over 900-hectare Industrial Park, Benin River Port, Modular Refinery, among others, to boost industrial activity in the state.

Ambassador Kikuta said that partnership will boost trade ties between the Japanese government and the state, promote knowledge transfer, economic diversification and improved competitiveness.

Recall that the state government early last year sought partnership with the Japanese government on solid minerals exploration and agriculture, especially rice farming.

“Japan has a lot of experience in growing rice and since we have a large rice belt in the state, we have looked at how to cooperate with them,” the governor had said.

Japan has a long-standing trade relation with Nigeria that started in 1964.

Japan’s import from Nigeria from 2015 to 2017 stands at $2,830.8 million, $849,568 million and $785, 204 million, respectively; while export to Nigeria from 2015 to 2017 is $358,588 million, $326,147 million and $321,165 million, respectively. The major trade items include Natural Gas, Sesame seeds, hot-rolled sheets, automobiles and synthetic hair.

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Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left); and Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yutaka Kikuta, at the Edo House, in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Obaseki Approves Training For 5000 Teachers On Use Of Digital Teaching Device, Others

…headteachers to assume role of CEOs in schools, raise maintenance culture

The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has approved the commencement of training for 5000 school teachers on the use of digital technology in teaching, as part of the ongoing reforms in the state’s education sector.

The training, according to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education and Acting Chairman Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, “is a component of the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) initiative, geared towards providing qualitative Basic Education for every Edo child using correct and up-to-date pedagogy in schools.”

The training is coming on the back of the huge success of the pilot programme where 2,000 teachers were trained on the use of handheld digital devices for teaching, a skill that has been in use in the pilot schools in the state.

Dr. Osa Oviawe explained that Edo SUBEB will commence the teacher training programme on Monday August 6, 2018.

She assured that “data gathering and planning for the phase 2 training have been properly executed, adding that the teachers are eager to participate and become Digital Teachers.”

The SUBEB boss said: “Edo-BEST Programme will be expanded to over 60 per cent of public primary schools across the state and will cover Kindergarten to Primary Six. Five thousand (5000) teachers drawn from the selected schools will be trained in three batches.

In addition to teacher training, Osa Oviawe said “Headteachers will also receive training on school management; going forward, we aim to instil a strong culture of maintenance in our schools.

“It is no longer going to be okay to allow school furniture, for example, to completely deteriorate until the point where fixing it is no longer an option. From when the first screws become loose, headteachers will have to report it.

“We are building a system of scheduling maintenance for every component of the school, from roof, flooring, whiteboards etc. Governor Obaseki has said that Headteachers are the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of schools and we want to assist them to better manage our schools.”

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VIDEO LINK:
Edo BEST Pupils at a rural school in Ekhibi Ovbiogie, Ovia NE performing during the school's graduation ceremony. Beginning next year, we plan to introduce graduation ceremony in all of our schools complete with graduation gowns for KG 3 and Primary 6 pupils


https://web.facebook.com/odion.akghigbe.1/videos/vb.100024017614898/273196726824246/?type=2&theater

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- Second Open day -

*Parents at Oboikhoduma PS in Owan East LGA. Open day was the last day of the term, Friday August 3rd. Turn out was encouraging inspite of the short notice. Beginning in September, the academic calendar will be released ahead of time to enable timely communication.

*Parents come to receive progress report on their kids as well as to collect
their report card.

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Ease of Doing Business: Obaseki Slashes C-of-O Processing Fee To N50,000, Okays 30-Day Turn-Around Time

In what real estate operators and business owners have described as a major turnaround for ease of doing business in the state, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has slashed to a minimum of N50,000 the cost for processing Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O), assuring a 30-day turnaround for processing land titles.

Obaseki, who disclosed this during an inspection of ongoing work at the Edo Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS) office in Benin City, said that the development is made possible as a result of the deployment of Geographic Information Service (GIS) technology by the state government in processing land titles.

According to him, “We are drastically reducing the cost of obtaining C-of-O. The minimum will be N50, 000. That means that we have come down drastically from the current rate of about N300,000 to slightly about N50, 000.”

He explained, “Our hope is that Edo will be one of the foremost states in Nigeria where you can come in, buy land and within 30 days, you have all the documents and titles to the land. If you want to sell, we will ensure that granting of approvals such as building approvals follow the same speed.

“What that will do is that investors will find out that it is much easier to do business in Edo because of the speed at which we can register titles and the speed at which people can obtain licences.”

Obaseki said the state government would not relent in providing a conducive working environment for workers in the state, adding, “The idea is to improve the work experience of public officers and public servants. Their offices should be more comfortable than their homes so that they can spend more time at work and be more productive.”

He urged staff of the agency to imbibe the culture of maintaining facilities, noting that “maintenance is key to keeping the standard.”

The Managing Director, EDOGIS, Arch. Frank Evbuomwan explained that titles for land, C-of-O, governor’s consent, mortgage consent, among others, are processed at the new office site.

“Very soon, we will start the process of recertifying C-of-O and issuing of new C-of-O. The processes here are automated,” he added.

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Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left); with the Managing Director, Edo Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS), Arch. Frank Evbuomwan, during the governor's inspection of Edo Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS) office in Benin City, Edo State.

In what experts describe as another validation of the reforms and progress being made by the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki, Africa Report in its July/August 2018 edition, has ranked Edo third among states in Nigeria that recorded impressive progress in recent times.

The report ranked the states along the lines of multidimensional poverty index, access to electricity and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) per capita.

It ranked the 36 states in Nigeria, excluding the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Edo placed only behind Lagos, which came first and Kwara, which took the second position in the ranking. On specifics, Edo ranked 5th in multidimensional poverty index, and with a score of 82.4 in Access to Electricity, it placed 6th.

Also, with a 76.4 score in the internet users as share of 2016 population, Edo ranked 4th among Nigerian states.

Edo belonged to the group of states the report captured as the Land Cruiser states, which according to the magazine, “are making it farthest and fastest, with a few bumps on the road.

“Lagos – Nigeria’s business hub – tops the charts, but its scores on the World Bank’s Doing Business rankings show that it has much to do to cut the complications of getting construction permits and other bureaucratic tasks.

“Lagos blows the competition away on collecting taxes and despite widening inequalities, it is doing better than its peers at cutting poverty and boosting education and healthcare.”

Other categories in the ranking are the Danfo states, which are described as being “like the ubiquitous bus that gives them their name.

“The Danfo states are getting close to their destination quickly, breaking a few rules on the way and on a smaller budget.” The states include Abia, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Bayelsa, Ondo, Imo and Nasarawa.

Then, there are the Okada states and waka waka states. The Okada states are Enugu, Plateau, Niger, Benue, Taraba, Kano, Gombe and Adamawa.

The Waka Waka states, according to the Report, include Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Kebbi, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Sokoto and Jigawa.


SOURCE: http://thebellng.com/edo-emerges-3rd-beats-33-others-in-africa-report-state-of-states-ranking/

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R-L: Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, presenting cheques to next-of-kin of pension beneficiaries; Patience Iyawe; and Osahenrunmwen Iyawe, who are next-of-kin, to deceased employees under the Contributory Pension Scheme, at the Government House, Benin City, on Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

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R-L: Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, presenting cheques to next-of-kin of pension beneficiaries; Obiomon Morrison; and Obiomon Emuata, who are next-of-kin, to deceased employees under the Contributory Pension Scheme, at the Government House, Benin City, on Tuesday, July 31, 2018

In a landmark demonstration of the benefits of pension reforms in the state, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has disbursed N7.3233 million to four next of kin of two deceased enrollees in the state’s contributory pension scheme.

The beneficiaries are Oriomon Morrison, Oriomon Emuata, Osahenrunmwen Iyawe and Patience Iyawe, who received the sum as benefits under the Group Life Assurance Scheme.

Presenting the cheques at the Government House, in Benin City, Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, said the presentation of cheques to the next of kin to deceased civil servants with the State Civil Service Commission is history being recorded during his administration.

According to him, “When this government came into power, I promised that we will not leave the pension scheme the way we met it. When we came into office, we assured Edo people that all issues relating to pension are going to be resolved.

“Those who do not believe that our government is working will now know that we mean well for our people and those who served the state.”

Obaseki assured workers, who are in active service that they have nothing to worry about regarding their pension, noting that his government has put measures in place to settle pension benefits after service.

The Head of Service, Mrs Gladys Idahor, expressed appreciation to the governor for initiating the contributory pension scheme in the state, adding that with the scheme in place, pensioners will have no reason to protest in demand for pension.

Idahor explained that a provision under the contributory pension scheme requires that aside next of kin receiving pension, they are also entitled to three times the annual salary prior to death.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Osahenrunmwen Iyawe expressed appreciation to the governor for the scheme, as he is a beneficiary of the scheme.

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R-L: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; pension beneficiaries; Obiomon Morrison; Obiomon Emuata; Patience Iyawe; and Osahenrunmwen Iyawe, during the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries, who are next-of-kin, to deceased employees under the Contributory Pension Scheme, at the Government House, Benin City, on Tuesday, July 31, 2018

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.. as Govt, EU, IOM, Others dig deep for solutions to menace

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has vowed that his administration, in collaboration with stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking and illegal migration, will ensure the ugly trend is reduced to the barest minimum, declaring that there is no hiding place for traffickers in the state.

Obaseki made the vow at a conference organised by the Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking, to examine and proffer solutions to the root causes of human trafficking in the state.

According to him, the major reasons people take to irregular migration are economic pressure, family pressure and unemployment, and assured that his administration is working tirelessly to create jobs for Edo citizens.

“As governor, I have vowed to reduce irregular migration in the state to the barest minimum before the end of my tenure with your help.

"My administration has put in place measures which include resettling victims of human trafficking after they are rescued. We provide medical assistance to the returnees as well as training to assist them to acquire skills,” he said.

The governor restated that his administration is committed to taking governance directly to the people to provide them with opportunities, which was one of the reasons people embarked on illegal migration.

He listed Uhunmwode and Orhionmwon as the local government areas with the highest numbers of persons engaged in irregular migration, and assured that measures have been put in place to boost economic activities in the areas.

The governor commended the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, for his support in the fight against the menace and stressed that the Royal Majesty’s intervention has in no small way, discouraged many Edo people from embarking on the risky journeys.

Social justice activist, Dr. Ayode Alakija, in her keynote address, said that a total of 1,037 people travel from Kano State to Tripoli, Libya, daily.

She urged governments at all levels to show commitment in solving the humanitarian crisis in areas that have high numbers of persons who embark on irregular migration.

The Deputy Head of European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr. Richard Young, assured that the EU would continue to support Nigeria in tackling irregular migration and human trafficking.

Young commended Governor Obaseki’s efforts at leading from the front, in the fight against human trafficking and illegal immigration in the state.



PHOTO 1:
Front row: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (second right); representative of the Chief of Mission, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Nigeria, Abraham Tamrat (second 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, on Monday, July 30, 2018.

Obaseki's Education Reform: Edo SUBEB Concludes Training Of Quality Assurance, Development Officers

… new officers will monitor and mentor teachers

Efforts to strengthen the primary education sub-sector for quality learning experience in Edo State have yielded another positive outcome with the completion of the training programme for teachers who volunteered to be Quality Assurance Officers, and Learning and Development Officers.

Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Basic Education and Acting Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, said the new roles are parts of the state government’s strategy to strengthen the inspectorate arm of the primary education sub-sector for better monitoring and mentoring of teachers.

"Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in line with its Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation(Edo BEST) initiative has taken a step to strengthen the supervision and mentoring of teachers in public primary schools through the selection and training of teachers who volunteered to be Quality Assurance Officers and Learning and Development Officers," she said.

Osa Oviawe explained "many outstanding teachers in public primary schools volunteered for the roles and were interviewed. Those shortlisted were invited to participate in the training."

On the specific roles of the Quality Assurance officers, the Ag. Chairman of Edo SUBEB said “They are to visit schools every day, to monitor daily review of teachers’ activities, take inventory of teaching aids and facilities and send their reports using the technological devices provided to them."

The Learning and Development Officers according to her, "is a new role created in the sector, and part of Governor Obaseki's Edo BEST initiative.

"These officers will be trained to become the Edo-BEST trainers and mentors of teachers."

She added that “Once a Quality Assurance Officer visits a school and identifies areas of improvement, the Learning and Development Officer will visit the same school to provide continuous training and support to teachers.

"Thus, effectively providing on-the-spot training and mentoring for teachers who need it instead of waiting for months or even years to address the problem through a seminar or professional development training."

Dr. Osa Oviawe explained that the new officers will be deployed on a ratio of one Quality Assurance Officer to 10 schools and one Learning and Development Officer to 10 schools.

She maintained that "our goal in SUBEB is to professionalise the teaching corps, restore the prestige of the teaching profession in Edo state, and work with our teachers to be the best in Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa and indeed, top 10 in the world.

She assured that by September this year, 52 per cent of public primary schools across the state would be included in the Edo BEST programme covering Kindergarten - Primary 6 hence the need or effective monitoring and the daily review of teachers’ activities in schools

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A cross-section of Quality Assurance and Learning and Development Officers, during their training by the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

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Health Care: Obaseki Tasks Stakeholders On Robust Synergy For Efficient Service Delivery

The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has tasked stakeholders in the nation’s health sector on robust collaboration to ensure efficient service deliver across the health care’s value chain.

Obaseki gave the charge in Benin City, at the Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Edo State Chapter, with the theme: "Effective Healthcare Delivery in Edo State."

The governor maintained that the challenges in the sector were surmountable if concerted effort was made by all players in the sector to work as a team.

“The idea of leaving the responsibilities of the health care system to only doctors, will not take us to where we need to be. The health system affects the entire spectrum of the society and everybody should be involved in tackling the challenges, from the primary health care system, which is the bedrock of our health sector,” the governor said.

He said that “in line with the federal government’s policy of one primary health care centre to a ward, we have already set up machinery to renovate, upgrade and reconstruct the first 20 health care centres across the 18 local government areas of the state.”

He explained that “the pilot phase of the reconstruction work will start in August, with 20 primary health centres and training programme for the personnel that will run the system.”

Obaseki assured that the lesson learnt from the pilot phase will guide the roll out of the other primary health centres later in the year.

He harped on the need for a robust relationship between health workers and the state government, and said that “we need each other to care for the health of Edo people and residents.”

Earlier, chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Edo State Chapter, Dr. Emmanuel Osaigbovo, commended the governor for his developmental strides in the state, and appealed for the timely completion of the ongoing projects.

He called on all doctors in the state to rededicated themselves to duty and focus on efficient service delivery.


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Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (second left); Commissioner for Health, Hon. David Osifo (left); Chairman, Edo State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Emmanuel Osaigbovo (right); and Dr. Osagie Dawodu (second right), during the NMA’s Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, in Benin City, Edo State.

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