The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo State government

  • Obaseki to partner FG on Benin Airport expansion

    Obaseki to partner FG on Benin Airport expansion

    To expand and upgrade the Benin Airport for efficient service delivery and increase passenger traffic, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have expressed readiness to partner with the Edo State government to improve the facilities and safety at the airport.

    The Managing Director of FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma and Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu and the Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki decided to strengthen partnership to refurbish the airport after the trio inspected facilities at the Benin Airport on Wednesday.

    Governor Obaseki said his administration would work with FAAN and NAMA to develop a plan before the end of the year to ensure that the Airport space was expanded.

    He said the state government aims to effectively utilise assets and resources located within the state for the benefit of the people, which necessitated the inspection tour of the Benin Airport. This, he explained, would give government a better understanding of the opportunities for boosting economic activities in the state.

    “We have approached the Federal Authority to kindly come to our aid regarding the airport. The plan is to first improve the facilities in this airport and ensure that we have the right landing facilities.

    “This will enable the airport embark on 24 hours operation. With more airplanes coming in, we will see a lot more passenger traffic coming into our state,’’ the governor said.

    He added that the state has set machinery in motion to ensure that it recovers and returns parts of the airport’s land that have been encroached upon by residents, noting that occupants with genuine Certificate of Occupancy will be compensated.

    The MD of FAAN, Dunoma, acknowledged that it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to improve facilities at the Benin Airport, and said that assistance from the Edo State government was a welcome idea.

    He said that ‘’I want to thank the governor for coming to our aid and with his assistance we can do a lot more. We have inspected the facilities here and we will submit a report on what we need to do to improve the safety and facilities at this Airport,’’ he said.

    Capt. Akinkuotu of NAMA said joint effort was needed to ensure safety is maintained at the airport, adding that the agency would collaborate with the Edo State government to ensure passengers do not only feel safe, but have good reasons to fly to the Benin Airport.

    He said, “We can’t but thank the Governor Obaseki for coming out to show support. The country belongs to all of us. He has demonstrated great leadership, and by working together, we can move the state forward.”

  • Illegal fees collection: Edo reads riot act to principals

    Illegal fees collection: Edo reads riot act to principals

    …To remove illegal buildings on school land from Dec. 1

     

    The Edo State Government has read the riot act to principals of public schools who have been collecting illegal fees from students for the purchase of uniforms and other items.

    The government also gave a December 1 deadline to owners of illegal buildings and structures on the premises or lands of public schools, to vacate such premises.

    A statement issued by the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Dr. Christopher Adesotu, explained that “the only fees approved by the Edo State government for the purchase of school uniforms are as follows: Junior Secondary School Students – ₦3,500 only and Senior Secondary School Students – ₦4,000 only.”

    Adesotu said that “any payment requested outside the stated amounts is illegal and the principals involved will face severe sanctions.”

    He advised parents to adhere to the approved levies for uniforms and report any request for additional fees promptly to the Hon. Commissioner and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education for immediate action.

    Commissioner for Orientation and Communication, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, said the illegal occupation of lands allocated to public schools in the state was hindering the state government’s ongoing school remodeling project.

    He emphasised that the state government’s policy to develop and remodel all public schools to meet modern standard is being implemented and “any structure or building that will render this lofty goal difficult or impossible, would not be tolerated.”

  • Edo begins demolition of school under high tension cable

    Edo begins demolition of school under high tension cable

    Edo State Government has commenced demolition of Etete Primary school in Ikpoba-Okha local government area in line with its resolve to remove all structures built under high tension cable.

    Pupils of the school were relocated to nearby primary schools while the state government has secured a location for the construction of a new school for the pupils.

    The demolition of the school was to serve as a warning to landlords who built houses under high tension cable.

    Chairman of the Interministerial Committee on the removal of structures under high tension cable, Mika Amonakha, had earlier warned landlords at Evboriaria power line route to relocate and remove their buildings.

    Some of the landlords have vowed not to leave until they were compensated because they were given approval to build by the state government.

    When our reporter visited Etete Primary school, the roofs were being removed while residents scavenged whatever they could from the school.

    Headmaster of the school, Comrade Omo Omoregie said the demolition followed a directive by the state government in line with the danger posed by the high tension cable.

    Comrade Omoregie said pupils and teachers have been relocated to Ivbiotor Primary School and Manpower Technical Training ground at Evboriaria.

  • Edo explains ‘Phased Approach’ to address Pensioners’ Welfare

    Edo explains ‘Phased Approach’ to address Pensioners’ Welfare

    … Faults reports on 42 months pension arrears

     

    The Edo State government has said it embarked on a holistic strategy to address pensioners welfare since the Governor Obaseki-led administration came on board, noting that it is committed to paying all outstanding pension arrears and gratuities in phases to reduce the debt burden on the state.

    The government said though dwindling crude production and oil prices affected revenue accruing to it from the Federal Government, it has prioritised the plight of pensioners in the face of competing needs in the different sectors of the state.

    In a statement on Monday, in Benin City, the Edo State Capital, the government dismissed reports that it owed 42 months in pension arrears, noting that they “are false and a misinterpretation of facts.” The state acknowledged that it has been faithful to the purpose of the Paris Club Refund, which was disbursed to states for clearing salary, pension, and gratuity arrears. However, the state government noted that the fund available to it “is not and cannot be sufficient to settle pension arrears that have accumulated for over 20 years. The Paris Club Refund is not restricted to payment of pension arrears and gratuities, but for employees’ emoluments.”

    The government explained that only a few pensioners were owed multiple months of arrears, most of whom are captured under the Local Government Pension Board, an institution that is autonomous and independent of the state’s Edo State Pension Bureau. The state stressed that although pension arrears that led to recent protests spanned for over two decades, it acknowledged the principle of continuity in governance and had put measures in place to address the issues.

    According to the state government, “matters concerning local government pensioners are separately handled by the Local Government Pension Board. Up to this moment, retirees in the local government service fall within the jurisdiction of the Local Government Pension Board. Be that as it may, the issues raised by the protesting pensioners of the local government service are better tackled by the Local Government Pension Board.

    “Under the Edo State Contributory Pension Scheme Law, there is a unitary Pension Bureau that will take charge of both the State Civil Service and the Local Government Civil Service staff. When the Edo State Pension Bureau becomes fully operational, after inspection and certification by the National Pension Commission, it will take over the functions of the Local Government Pension Board. This would be done after the commission conducts due diligence on the state of affairs of the board’s pension liabilities and current pension and gratuity payment status.

    Some of the measures, according to the state government, include phased payment of arrears, harmonizing pension management system in the state, and migration of state to the contributory scheme.

    The state government said it is committed to “pay, in phases, all outstanding pension arrears and gratuities; ensure that retiring civil servants process their papers on time so that they can effortlessly transit from their salary payroll into pension payroll at the exact time of their exit from the civil service. This singular step, if carried through without default of the retiring staff and relevant authorities saddled with the processing of retirees documents, will eliminate the incidence of accumulation of pension arrears.”

    Noting that efforts have been made to harmonise pension management in the state, the government said: “We have put up measures to consolidate and pursue the implementation of the contributory pension scheme. In fact, all necessary requirements to ensure a hitch-free payment of retirement benefits to civil servants who transited from the defined benefit scheme into the contributory pension scheme regulated by the pension commission have been met by the state government,” the government added.

    “We have also committed to providing adequate attention to the needs of pensioners by prompt payment of monthly pensions and phased payment of all gratuities that have been established and confirmed.”

    It called on pensioners and members of the public to exercise patience as the phased payment of the arrears takes its due course, assuring that measures have been put in place to ensure that the present issues don’t arise after it has been addressed in the state.

     

     

     

  • Inflow of FDIs: Obaseki intensifies drive in Singapore   

    Inflow of FDIs: Obaseki intensifies drive in Singapore   

     

    …Investments in Agric, Tech, Trade top Agenda

     

    Over ten key players in the organised private sector of Singapore as well as state-owned enterprises, met with the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Friday, in the Asian country, as he intensified his quest for foreign investors and partners to bolster the state’s industrialisation drive.

     

    The governor’s meeting with the expanded group of industrialists was an opportunity for the Edo State government to build strong ties with the leading companies in Asia operating from Singapore, and attract them to invest in the state’s manufacturing, agribusiness, digital services, food processing and urban development sectors.

     

    The meeting was attended by the Singaporean Consul General to Nigeria, Haresh Aswani; Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria to Singapore, Zainab Tani Zakari-Awami, while the business community was led by the Vice Chairman of the country’s apex chamber of commerce, the Singapore Business Federation, Shabbir Hassanbhai. 

     

    Other Singaporean industry actors present at the meeting were Chief Sustainability Officer, Wilmar International Pte Ltd., Jeremy Goon; Senior Vice President- Retail, Aalst Chocolate Pte Ltd., Cheah Klu Lye; Chairman, Crop Protection-Commercial, Asiatic Agricultural Industries Pte Ltd., Chuan Chek Chee; Group Senior Managing Director, Business Development (Middle East and Africa), Hyflux Limited, Kum Mum Lock; Regional Business Development Manager, Surbana Jurong Consultancies Pte Ltd, Mohammed Ail Fateh, and Manager, Middle East &Africa, Informational Enterprise Singapore, Aaron Goh, among others.

     

    In his presentation, Obaseki paraded the ongoing reform in technical education, with the revamping of Benin Technical College that will produce resourceful and technology-savvy workforce for industries; the ease of doing business in Edo State, driven by laws that guarantee security of investments and profit repatriation and hospitable people with age-old heritage of hosting investors and visitors.

     

    He assured the Asian investors that Edo State was fast becoming a destination of choice for foreign investment as the All Progressives Congress-led government places high premium on the creation of 200, 000 jobs in the first instance, the religious adherence to the rule of law and the adoption of cost-efficient, technology-driven processes.

     

    The governor told his visibly elated hosts that the proximity of Edo State to Lagos State, the largest market in Africa was an asset, and so also is her rich soil and climate, which guarantees rainfall for over ten months of the year.

      

    He added that the state has “huge potential in agribusiness, as it is home to the biggest oil palm companies in Nigeria. The focus on diversified investments in agriculture, manufacturing, digital services and urban regeneration is an acknowledgement of the need to build a strong economy in Edo State, one that will have huge impact on the lives of the people through job creation and capacity building.”  

     

    Recall that Governor Obaseki recently sealed arrangement for the Tolaram Group to invest $50 million in oil palm and cassava production to be used in the company’s manufacturing industries, an initiative that is expected to create about 50,000 jobs in Edo State.

  • Osinbajo to Commission Edo Fertilizer Plant 

    Osinbajo to Commission Edo Fertilizer Plant 

    The Edo State Government and WACOT Limited will receive the Vice President  Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, August 29, 2017, to commission the Edo State Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited (ESFCCL) located in Auchi, Edo State.

    The Edo Fertilizer plant was rehabilitated by WACOT Limited in collaboration with the Edo State Government, under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    The Vice President will be commissioning the NPK fertilizer plant to reiterate the Federal Government’s actualization of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI).

    Launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016, the initiative is part of the administration’s drive towards achieving food self-sufficiency and economic diversification through agriculture, to which WACOT Limited has been contributing.

    It would be recalled that the Vice President recently commissioned the multi-billion naira WACOT Rice Mill in Argungu, Kebbi State. The objective of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative is to ‘disrupt’ the importation of blended NPK fertilizer, by directly negotiating discounted contracts for procuring core raw materials, locally blending same, and selling NPK fertilizer to farmers at a significantly lower price.

    The rejuvenation of the Edo State fertilizer plant is an integral part of Governor Obaseki’s Accelerated Agriculture Initiative designed to support and actualize the job creation and food sustainability vision of the Buhari’s administration, through Public Private Partnership (PPP). This according to the Governor will not only enhance the state’s socio-economic status but will also create an avenue for the youths to leverage on the expertise of major players in the Agricultural sector.

    The Edo State fertilizer plant managed by WACOT Limited will benefit from the unprecedented bilateral cooperation between the Governments of Nigeria and Morocco, which has already resulted in the revitalization of 11 fertilizer blending plants across the country.

    Speaking recently while inspecting the Edo State fertilizer plant, Governor Obaseki commended WACOT Limited and used the opportunity to reiterate his administration’s commitment towards helping to achieve the Federal Government’s agricultural self-sufficiency drive for the country.

    Mr. Rahul Savara, the Group Managing Director of TGI Group, the parent company of WACOT Limited, said that the plant has been optimized for both physical and compound blending and that it was ready for operation.

    Speaking on the Group’s involvement in the Agricultural sector, Mr. Savara said, “We are firm believers in this administration’s vision of attaining food self-sufficiency. Therefore we will continue to invest in the agricultural sector significantly, with interventions targeted at the various agricultural value chains”.

    Also commenting on the development, Mr. Ujwal Senapati, Managing Director of WACOT Limited said, “we will continue to deliver quality agricultural inputs at affordable prices, and in the near future, we will be producing crop-specific fertilizer for a diverse range of crops locally”.

    WACOT Limited is a market leader in agro-processing, manufacturing, and distribution of certified agricultural inputs including seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, etc.

     

  • Edo threatens to deal with operators of illegal commercial toilets

    Edo threatens to deal with operators of illegal commercial toilets

    Edo State Government has threatened to deal with operators of illegal commercial toilets in markets across the state.

    It said many of the illegal commercial toilets were unkempt and found to disposed excreta, silt, to public drain which was not tolerable.

    State Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Hon. Reginald Okun, gave the threat when he led a team of health officials to seal some of the toilets.

    Okun said the steps were to ensure a clean and orderly city adding that defaulters of sanitation and pollution management law would be prosecuted.

    He stated that the state government would no longer condone illegal operation of commercial toilet that could pose danger to the health of people living in the locality.

    The Commissioner enjoined all who must operate such business to seek the necessary approval from the necessary quarters to avoid being caught by the law.

  • Immortalise late Justice Obaseki, NURTW tells Edo Govt

    Immortalise late Justice Obaseki, NURTW tells Edo Govt

    …As Dangote, Oshiomhole pay tribute

     

    National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has urged the Edo State government to immortalise late Justice Andrews Otutu Obaseki.

    Late Justice Obaseki served as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria at various times and retired as a Supreme Court justice in 1991.

    He died on July 13 and was interred Friday beside the tomb of his father, late Gauis Ikhuobase Obaseki, in Benin City.

    State Chairman of NURTW, Chief Odion Olaye, who spoke at the interment of Justice Obaseki said law institutions in the state should be named after Justice Obaseki because of landmark judgments he delivered.

    Chief Olaye stated that the late Justice Obaseki left a good legacy in the law profession.

    According to him, “He was a man of his words. He believed in the truth which was why he served the country in various capacities until he retired as a Supreme Court judge.”

    Africa richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, described the late Justice Obaseki as an upright man whose name should not be rubbished.

    Alhaji Dangote urged Edo residents to produce more late Justice Obaseki.

    Former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said Justice Obaseki represented the finest tradition of judges who in their time delivered judgement in its purest form.

    “As a small boy in Kaduna, there were notable judgments you could memorise. He is an emboldenment of our culture and symbol of truth.”

    His eldest son, Edosa, said his father’s legacies of love for family, humility and personal integrity were priceless.

    He stated that his father’s generosity and encouragement were felt far and wide.

     

  • PDP condemns Edo competency test for promotion

    PDP condemns Edo competency test for promotion

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the introduction of competency written test by the Edo State government for its workers before they would be promoted.

    It said Governor Godwin Obaseki was sustaining an unpopular policy of his immediate predecessor.

    The PDP rather advised the state government to cultivate the habit of organising in-house training for workers and to “stop dehumanising them in the name of competency test.”

    State chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, in a statement issued in Benin urged Governor Obaseki to take learn from former Prof. Ambrose Alli administration on content development for civil servants.

    He said, “Edo PDP condemns in strong terms the clandestine and wicked reintroduction of competency test by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    “The test itself is an illegal one as a restraining order given by the Industrial Court in 2014 against the conduct of such tests has not been vacated.

    “With this, it has shown clearly that the only thing that has changed in the Edo government house is the personality because the present government is a continuation of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s anti-people policies.

    “We challenge the state government to come out with the real motive behind the competency test as it is a common knowledge that there is more than meets the eye in the exercise.

    “Remember that Oshiomhole set up committee and wasted millions of taxpayers’ money to organise the failed test in 2014. It is shameful that just like Oshiomhole, Governor Obaseki has shown great knack for frivolities.”

    Governor Obaseki, had on Wednesday defended the conduct of the test, saying t the test was not compulsory for all teachers and that it was unfortunate that many teachers failed to understand details of the test.

    He said, “It is not competency test. It is part of strengthening the civil service. The test is part of promotion exercise. They are already competent and that is why they are working and in the service.”

  • Edo orders removal of structures under High electricity transmission cables

    Edo orders removal of structures under High electricity transmission cables

    The Edo State Government has ordered the immediate removal of structures, temporary or permanent, under high electricity transmission cables in the state due to the associated health hazards.

    The resolution was reached at the weekly Executive Council Meeting presided over by the Chairman-in-Council and Governor of the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at Government House in Benin City, on Wednesday.

    Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Paul Ohonbamu, who spoke to journalists after the Exco meeting, said the state government was concerned about the health and safety of Edo people and directed that all structures located under High power transmission cables be removed immediately.

    ‘’The radiation from high tension electricity lines has been linked to cancer, and there is also imminent danger of electrocution and incineration,” Ohonbamu said and assured that massive sensitization campaigns would be done to ensure that members of the public comply with the safety rule.

    On the threat to the security of lives and property in the state, he said that the State Executive Council urged Edo people to go about their daily duties as the government was determined to ensure their safety and protection.

    “Security would be beefed up in all the institutions of the state including hospitals, government offices and schools amongst other places,” Ohonbamu said.

    He added that the ongoing promotion examination for public servants in the state was not conceived to sack any one from the state civil service.