Tag: Edo State government

  • ICT-based teaching: Edo calls for 300 primary school teachers

    The Edo State Government has called for 300 volunteers among primary school teachers working in public schools to pilot its Edo Best programme, an initiative designed to introduce and entrench the use of computers, tablets and other Information and Communication Technology-based gadgets for teaching across the state.

    Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Basic Education and Acting Chairperson, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Oviawe, who disclosed this, urged teachers in public primary schools to tap from the opportunity to upgrade their skills and become versed in updated approach for impacting knowledge.

    She said the programme is expected to lead to better learning outcomes and a more robust, up-to-date approach to classroom management in public schools.

    Edo Best Programme is an initiative of Governor Obaseki administration, conceived to transform primary education in the state.

    According to Dr. Oviawe, “In the pilot phase, 300 schools will be selected to launch the initiative and the headmasters/headmistresses and teachers who would head or teach in these schools have to be trained in the use of computers and other gadgets to teach in the classroom. By the next academic year, all headmasters/headmistresses and teachers in the state will be required to go through this training.”

    She said at the end of the training, teachers and head teachers will each receive a computer tablet loaded with lesson notes.

    On how the teachers can enroll for the programme, she said, “Teachers are requested to forward their Names, positions (HM or Teacher), salary grade level, academic qualifications, the LGAs where they currently teach and their present school to Edo SUBEB.  Every volunteer must send their information.”

    She allayed fears that the programme is intended to test teachers, noting that further enquiries on the programme should be routed to SUBEB.

    Read Also: Fuel price: Edo monitors filling stations to ensure compliance

  • Flooding: Edo urges residents to clear drains

    Flooding: Edo urges residents to clear drains

    … Assures of timely waste evacuation

     

    The Edo State government has urged residents in the state to clear gutters and embrace best practice in disposing their wastes as the raining season sets in.

    Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, said the early rains, though good for agricultural activities, “could impact on the physical environment if proactive measures are not taken by residents to desilt drains and properly dispose their wastes.”

    He noted that “the heavy rains are coming earlier than projected by the federal government weather monitoring agencies and could cut short the dry season window and impact on ongoing road construction work across the state.”

    Osagie assured that efforts are being made by the appropriate agency of government to reduce the down time of domestic wastes at collection points and evacuate debris from drainages.

    “The Ministry of Environment is worried over the delay in evacuating debris on the road side and is currently simulating several options with a view to adopting the most effective way of dealing with this challenge.

    “When the debris are left on the road side, the rains could wash them back into the gutters and when that happens, the surrounding environment will be flooded. People can be sacked from their homes and business places.

    “We need a new attitude towards waste disposal and management as stakeholders in our human environment. Often times we bring home things we do not need, that end up in our trash cans.”

    He maintained that the medium to long-term plans of the state government are to harness the energy generation potential in wastes and recycling/reprocessing through robust private sector investment, to create jobs, produce renewable energy and environmentally-friendly materials, among other benefits.

    “The waste to wealth initiative has become very popular across the world and Edo State is ready to key into it and get its fair share of the initiative,” Osagie said.

    Read Also: Edo communities protest herdsmen attacks

  • EdoJobs launches skills development programme

    EdoJobs launches skills development programme

    …as demands for skilled manpower swell

     

    The Edo State Government through its job creation initiative, EdoJobs, has launched a skills development programme to prepare unemployed youths in the state for employment opportunities and as employers of labour.

    Addressing journalists during a press conference to announce the launch of the programme, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Skill Acquisition and Job Creation, Ukinebo Dare, said “Through the skills development programme, the Godwin Obaseki-led administration has been attracting investors that have need for highly skilled manpower to the state.”

    She explained that the state government is partnering with organisations that are specialised in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), mobile phone and laptop repairs, automobile mechanics among others, to train youths across the three senatorial districts in the state.

    The training she said “is designed in such a way that some programmes have stipend packages, start-up packs while others have business support packages for trainees. The programme will also address the needs of the participating business partners and individuals.”

    Ukinebo added that youths will be trained in various skills to meet the increasing demands for highly skilled workforce in the state.

    “The objective of the programme is to enable the state government prepare youths as entrepreneurs and employers of labour in line with the vision of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to create 200,000 jobs.”

    Ukinebo said that the programme is open to youths who are indigenes and those who reside in the state, adding, “The programme will enhance the employability of youths and enable them maximise their potential. It will prepare the youths for different job opportunities. Those trained will be matched with employers who have vacancies in the state through the Edojobs portal.

    “The programme will assist the state government supply employers skilled labour force as the EdoJobs initiative has grown from a job matching to job creation platform.”

    One of the partners of the programme, Slot Academy, represented by Collins Uwadiae, said, “Slot Academy is partnering with Edo State Government to complement the strides of Governor Obaseki in creating jobs for youths. The Academy will train the youths at zero cost to prepare youths as entrepreneurs.

    Chief Inspector of IFEST Foundation, another partner, Engr. Anthony Okogue, said: “IFEST Foundation is partnering with EdoJobs to render technical and vocational training in motor and vehicle mechanic. We are partnering with Edojobs to train Edo youths in modern motor and vehicle mechanics.”

    Also in attendance were beneficiaries of skills development programmes organised by EdoJobs.

    Isioma Deborah said the programme has helped her with knowledge of branding and packaging which she is applying in her business. “Before the training, I was just doing my normal business but with the help of EdoJobs’ partners I have been able to put my business on several social media platforms and my customers are increasing. I really appreciate them,” she said.

    Similarly, Loveth Osagie, who is undergoing training in fashion design, said the programme has helped her discover her innate abilities.

    Read Also: Edo reopens job portal March 1

  • Approved PMS Price: Edo vows to ensure compliance

    Approved PMS Price: Edo vows to ensure compliance

    …commences monitoring March 11

     

    The Edo State Government has warned marketers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), who sell above the approved pump price of N145 per liter, that its team will commence monitoring on March 11 for enforcement exercise.

    Commissioner, Ministry of Minerals, Oil and Gas, Hon. Joseph Ugheoke, in a statement, said that relevant law enforcement agencies have been put on notice and will join the ministry’s team which will enforce the directive and seal erring stations from March 11.

    According to him, “The state government will not tolerate the dispensing of PMS above the N145 per liter approved price for independent marketers. The team of monitors will commence monitoring to ensure compliance from Monday, March 11, 2018.”

    He said, “Marketers, who fail to comply with the directive will have their stations sealed and fully prosecuted according to law. The steps of the state government became necessary to prevent the practice where some independent marketers cash in on the cut in supply of PMS to the state to hike the price of the product.”

    Ugheoke noted that supply of PMS to independent marketers across Edo State has since increased to tackle the scarcity of the product, noting, “In view of the increase in supply of PMS to marketers, the state government cannot tolerate marketers who sell the product above the approved pump price, after so much has been done to ensure steady supply of PMS to marketers in the state.”

    “Marketers of PMS are therefore enjoined, henceforth, to ensure they dispense PMS at N145 per liter. Relevant security agencies and stakeholders in the oil and gas sector are expected to comply with the notice as marketers found to be acting contrary to the directive will be treated as economic saboteurs,” he added.

    Read Also: Edo insists on N145 per litre pump price, receives 606,000 litres of PMS

  • FG approves upgrade of Benin Airport to Int’l standard

    FG approves upgrade of Benin Airport to Int’l standard

    The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has said that the Federal Government has approved the upgrade of the Benin Airport to international standard with a cargo terminal.

    The minister disclosed this during his courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State, on Monday.

    Sirika said the approval was due to the fact the Benin Airport is one of the oldest airports in Nigeria and that the zone needs a standard international airport to serve its growing economic interests.

    He added that the airport will be fitted with necessary facilities within 12-months, as part of the plans to upgrade it to an international standard.

    He said that “Plans have been concluded to upgrade landing system with adequate radio equipment that will enable the Airport handle both day and night operations, even in adverse weather conditions.

    “There are plans to also extend the runway at the Benin Airport to enable it handle high volume of traffic with capacity to accommodate cargo planes.”

    Sirika further said, “Aviation connects businesses, trade, cultures, nations and people. With a standard airport in place, it becomes easy to achieve economic growth and development. We will work with Edo State Government to ensure that within the next 12 months, Benin Airport will become an International Standard Airport with all the necessary aviation equipment in place.”

    Governor Obaseki expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for the effort to make the Benin Airport an International Airport, noting, “This is the most astonishing news I have heard as a governor this year.”

    He said the federal government has shown commitment to support efforts to industrialise the state.

    According to him, “Our hope is that all the economic activities that will be generated from this critical investment will drive commence across the state and the country”.

    He said his administration has taken giant stride to establish Benin Industrial Park, Gelegele Sea Port and other laudable investments.

    “The effort this administration has made since assuming office is gradually paying off with the assurance coming from the Minister that in a couple of months, work will commence in Benin Airport to upgrade it to international standard,” Obaseki said.

    He added, “This administration is working hard to transform Edo State to an economic hub. What is missing is rail transport linking the state with other parts of the country. The upgrade of the Benin Airport to international standard will complement our strategic geographical location.”

  • Alleged diversion of IDPs rice: Police invites Orbih for questioning 

    Alleged diversion of IDPs rice: Police invites Orbih for questioning 

    Edo State Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, has invited Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Chief Dan Orbih, for questioning over allegations that the state government diverted rice meant Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    Chief Orbih had alleged that 4721 bags of rice meant for IDPs at Ohogua village in Ovai North East local government area were diverted.

    The invitation of Chief Orbih was based on a petition by Governor Godwin Obaseki on the need for the police to make Chief Orbih present facts of the allegations.

    Governor Obaseki had in the petition said Chief Orbih in a a radio interview ‘falsely and maliciously stated that the Edo State Government was involved in a criminal conspiracy to divert 4,721 bags of rice released by the Federal Government for distribution to IDPs in the state’.

    In the petition signed by Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Osarodion Ogie, the Edo Government stated that Chief Orbih further claimed that 300 bags of rice were diverted to a certain Senator in Ondo State.

    According to the petition, “It is instructive to note that in making these allegations to the general public, Chief Orbih claimed that he had facts and records to back up these criminal allegations.

    “The purpose of this complaints is to formally bring these weighty and unsubstantiated allegations to your attention and to request a thorough investigation with a view to establishing the veracity or otherwise of same.

    “It is the contention of the Edo State Government that Chief Dan Orbih should be called upon to provide evidence of the serious crimes he has alleged to have been committed by the Edo State Government and to furnish your Command with facts, details and proof of the allegations he has made in the public domain.”

    State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Chris Nehikhare who confirmed the development said Chief Orbih will appear before the police.

    Nehikhare said the Edo PDP also wrote a petitioned for criminal incitement of the public against the leadership and members of PDP by the Edo State Government.

    He stated that Edo Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Paul Ohonbamu and the Media Aide to Governor Obaseki, Mr. Crusoe Osagie have consistently issued press releases referring the members and leadership of PDP as bandits, rogues, liars and fraudsters who stole the resources of the people.

    “Edo PDP wants the police to investigate these matters and ensure that those behind these criminal incitements are brought to book.”

    Read Also: Rice, shoes for IDPs: Edo releases distribution roster

  • Rice, shoes for IDPs: Edo releases distribution roster

    Rice, shoes for IDPs: Edo releases distribution roster

    …Urges PDP to respect IDPs

    The Edo State government has released the roster showing how the relief materials approved by the federal government for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state, were distributed.

    Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, said that “Out of the total 6,821 bags of rice allocated to Edo State, the total number of bags of rice received by the Edo State government was four thousand six hundred and thirty nine (4,639).

    “Two thousand one hundred and eighty two (2,182) bags were bad, unfit for consumption and were not collected by the state government. These figures can be verified from the customs and the Nigerian Army who witnessed the process of receiving the items.”

    He explained that “no single jar of vegetable oil was received because all of them were expired according to the dates marked on the containers by the manufacturers,” and urged Edo PDP to accord displaced persons the respect and dignity they deserve and should not make them subjects of their concocted attention-seeking fable.

    Osagie said that “on Christmas Eve, 24 December, 2017, IDP camp in Uhogua received 500 bags of rice. Also on Christmas Eve, fifty sacks of used shoes were given to the IDPs in Uhogua. Two weeks ago, IDP camp Uhogua received another 2,101 bags of rice, which brings the total number of bags of rice received by the IDP camp in Uhogua to 2601.”

    He added that “Displaced people in Edo Central, Edo North and orphanages received 1421 bags of rice. The remaining 617 bags are in the State government’s warehouse. We also have about thirty-five sacks of used shoes in the store scheduled for distribution in the weeks ahead.”

    He further said that aside the IDP camp in Uhogua, “We have displaced persons in Ilushi area in Edo Central, Ogbomerhe in Edo North and various orphanages across the state.

    “Don’t you think it is only fair to ensure that all the displaced people across the state and not just in the IDP camp benefit from the rice donated to IDPs? He asked.

    The governor’s aide said the state government “would ordinarily not engage in this back and forth with the Edo PDP because we are certain that the Edo people they robbed blind are still mostly alive and present and they know fully well who the bandits in Edo State are.

    “However, it is necessary to reassure Edo people with facts that the Obaseki government does not possess the PDP’s traits of banditry and insensitivity to the plight of ordinary people.

    “We know that the callous people who make up the Edo PDP will not mind feeding displaced people with expired vegetable oil and rice but the Obaseki Government will never subject the people to such base treatment synonymous with Dan Orbih and the Edo PDP. Remember that Orbih is still being investigated for stealing land belonging to a female secondary school in Benin which his wife attended.”

    Read Also: All items for IDPs including judiciously distributed – Obaseki’s Aide

     

     

  • All items for IDPs including judiciously distributed – Obaseki’s Aide

    All items for IDPs including judiciously distributed – Obaseki’s Aide

    The Edo State Government says all the bags of rice and other items like shoes, apart from the ones that were damaged in storage before they were allocated, were distributed to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other orphanage homes within the state.

    Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, declared as completely false, the allegation of diversion of rice by the Edo State People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    “The allegation is laughable and completely false and is a design of detractors to smear the image of a performing government,” Osagie said.

    He added, “they have tried and failed on all other fronts, now they have stooped lower to a commodity as cheap as rice.”

    The governor’s aide maintained that “the Edo PDP has a rich history of diverting items meant for the less privileged and the state’s resources and its members think other people are like them.”

    He explained that the state government has made several donations to people in distress in the past and it is irreconcilable that a known donor to humanitarian courses would divert items meant for IDPs.

    “PDP’s allegation that out of the 6822 bags of rice meant for IDPs in Edo State, over 4000 bags of rice were diverted as only 2101 bags were only given to the IDPs, is a figment of the imaginations of members of Edo PDP.”

  • PDP’s Open Grazing Bill premature – Obaseki’s aide

    PDP’s Open Grazing Bill premature – Obaseki’s aide

    The Edo State Government has described as premature, the Bill for a law to prohibit open rearing and grazing of livestock, sent to the Edo State House of Assembly by the Edo State People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, commended the Edo PDP for heeding the counsel of the Edo State government to learn how to be a responsible opposition party that can contribute to the development of Edo State through well-researched policies and laws.

    Osagie noted that while the new role of the Edo PDP is worth commending, the opposition party would require more schooling to fully appreciate that well-researched policies of the Obaseki-led government such as the ban on overnight grazing, the ban on armed herdsmen and the monitoring of herdsmen activities by the government and security personnel, cannot be changed when they are yielding positive results.

    “It is interesting to see members of Edo PDP embrace our advice. However, their proposed bill for a law that will ban open grazing is a faulty start. Policies have clear timelines and set outcomes. Since February 8 when Governor Obaseki unveiled the new set of policies to end the clashes between herdsmen and farmers, there has not been any incident. This means that the policies show promise and no one changes a winning team. So on what basis is the Edo PDP proposing its bill?”

    He maintained that while sending a bill to the House of Assembly is a civilised thing to do, rather than propagation of falsehood at a state-wide circus and making outrageous comments on issues of national security, the Edo PDP’s bill is impulsive.

    “PDP should stop being overtly emotional about issues that require tact and research. They have started learning how to be responsible, but they need to learn more from our technocrat Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki,” Osagie said.

    He added that the Edo PDP has over the years displayed its lack of capacity to solve the problems of the state and stressed that the opposition party has nothing to offer the state.

  • Lassa fever: WHO, NCDC synergise with Edo govt to end scourge

    Lassa fever: WHO, NCDC synergise with Edo govt to end scourge

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have commencedwork with the Edo State Government to bring to an end the Lassa Fever outbreak in the country.

    They commended the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, for the state government’s purposeful and strategic response to the current Lassa fever outbreak in the country.

    Coordinator, Lassa Fever Outbreak Response Team in Nigeria, Dr. Emmanuel Musa, relayed the commendations when he led the surveillance team from the WHO and NCDC on a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State and said that his team will be stationed in the state to tackle the disease.

    In his remarks, Governor Obaseki expressed appreciation to the WHO and NCDC teams for supporting the state’s effort to contain and control the spread of Lassa Fever disease in the state.

    He said the outbreak threatens the wellbeing of people in the state, a situation he will not tolerate, noting, “My administration takes public health and wellbeing of people in the state seriously. This accounts for the speedy response of the government in mobilising resources to control the spread of the disease.”

    According to Obaseki, “With the team of experts deployed to the state by WHO, we should be able to get things right. There is need for us to be proactive and not always wait for the outbreak before responding.”

    Musa said, “The prompt response of the state government led by Governor Obaseki in containing the outbreak of Lassa fever disease in the state is highly commendable. The approach adopted to halt the spread of the disease was strategic. We commend the state government for the facility set up to assist the Institute for Lassa Fever Control and Research at the Specialist Hospital, Irrua. This includes the Isolation Center and Emergency Operation Center.

    He added, “The team of experts from the WHO and NCDC were the first six experts deployed to Edo State to complement the state government’s effort in controlling the spread of the disease. The team will work alongside the state government’s response team to halt the spread of the disease. This team is also ready to work with the team put in place by the government to curtail the spread as they have been in the state for about four weeks now.

    “Other partners will be mobilise to Edo State to assist the state government contain the spread of Lassa fever disease. The WHO is concerned and decided to mobilise experts to Nigeria to help out.”

    Read Also:Edo marshal plans to combat Lassa fever