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Tag: Edo State

  • Edo Poly eyes grant for Prof. Choudhary’s Institute of Natural Product Research

    Barely two months after management of the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, unveiled the Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary Centre for Natural Product Research (ICCNPR), the center is putting finishing touches on its plan to kick-start operations with a grant to advance natural product research in Nigeria.

    Rector, Edo State Polytechnic, Prof. Abiodun Falodun, disclosed this in a chat with journalists, noting that once the center wins the grant, the center will be open for multi-disciplinary and in-depth research in natural products to provide solutions to peculiar problems facing the country.

    According to him, “The Edo State Polytechnic has proven to be a leading light in higher education in the state in just a matter of months. We have inaugurated two centers that will lead advanced research in areas that are not just germane for development, but that will groom capable hands in conducting advanced, applied research.

    “We have also secured very crucial partnership with local and international collaborators to drive the mandate of making this school into a world-class institution.

    “The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), for instance, is a strong partner for the Center for Geospatial Information Science (CGIS) and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary is working with us on Natural Product research.”

    “So, what we have done for the ICCNPR is to basically apply for grants to ensure that there is a sustainable source of funding for the research we will do at the Center.

    “This will ensure that this research does not suffer hiccup and also set clear research objectives and timelines. We already have the laboratory with which to work,” he added.

    The ICCNPR was launched in December 2018, as a pioneer center for Natural Product Research and serves to groom a new crop of practical-oriented scientists and technologists to develop new drugs and other solutions for the benefit of society.

     

     

  • Catholic Bishop lauds violence-free polls in Edo

    The Catholic Bishop of Uromi Diocese, Most Reverend Donatus Ogun, has commended the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki for ensuring violence-free conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

    The Bishop gave the commendation while delivering a homily at the Thanksgiving Mass in celebration of Professor Emmanuel Emovon’s 90th birthday anniversary, held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Benin City, on Sunday.

    Read Also: Buhari condoles with CAN over death of Archbishop Atilade

    The Bishop expressed delight at the peaceful atmosphere in the state after the conduct of the Saturday, 23rd February’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, noting, “We just completed a phase of the 2019 general elections and I am happy about the way and manner Edo State electorates conducted themselves and maintained peaceful disposition throughout the state. I thank the governor and all his men for ensuring a peaceful election in the state.

    “We will continue to pray for Governor Obaseki and all those working with him for ensuring we have peace in the state, unlike in some other states in the country.”

    The governor, who attended the Thanksgiving Mass, described the celebrant as an Edo icon who has made Benin people proud.

    Obaseki noted that Prof. Emovon represents hard work, humility, stewardship, honesty and accountability, adding, “he represents the best as he has been a teacher, professor, university administrator, minister and a chief.”

     

  • Obaseki advocates collective effort in preserving Edo languages

    Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has urged for collective effort among relevant stakeholders in preserving local languages in Nigeria to promote social integration and prevent loss of identity.

    The governor said this on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Mother Language Day, marked by the United Nations.

    Obaseki decried the lackluster attitude to the preservation of languages, challenging linguists, parents and other concerned stakeholders to coordinate efforts in regaining the fast receding fortunes of Nigerian languages.

    According to him, “it is imperative to celebrate a day like this. This will draw attention to the issue of loss of languages. In Edo State, we have taken deliberate steps to ensure that we preserve our local languages by engaging dedicated teachers.”

    Read Also: Obaseki orders payment of February salary to Edo workers

    He added, “We are committed to revamping the basic education sector. This is why we are working hard to ensure that dedicated teachers for languages are provided for in the Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme.

    According to the United Nations, “Linguistic diversity is increasingly threatened as more and more languages disappear. Globally 40 per cent of the population does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. Nevertheless, progress is being made in mother tongue-based multilingual education with growing understanding of its importance, particularly in early schooling, and more commitment to its development in public life.”

    The UN added that, “Multilingual and multicultural societies exist through their languages which transmit and preserve traditional knowledge and cultures in a sustainable way.”

     

     

  • Polls: Obaseki hails process, says turnout, security impressive

    Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has commended voters in Edo State for coming out en masse to cast their votes, describing the voting process as smooth and impressive.

    Obaseki and his wife, Betsy, both arrived their polling unit (Ward 4, Unit 19) in Emokpae Primary school, Oredo Local Government Area of the state, at exactly 9:55am and voted at about 10:17am. His wife voted earlier at exactly 10:15am.

    The governor who also expressed delight at the conduct of security personnel at the polling unit, said: “The voting process has been smooth and orderly so far and the turnout is good.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole, Obaseki meet APC leaders in Edo

    “We have not received any security incidents so far. We have made provisions for aerial, land and water surveillance and I am optimistic that the process will be peaceful all through”.

    He assured that there would be no voter apathy in the state as his party, the APC, had sensitised voters in the state to participate in the elections.

    It was gathered that voting materials arrived Emokpae Primary School as early as 7:30am while accreditation and voting commenced at 8:10am.

     

  • Soldiers take over highway security in Edo

    Soldiers have taken over security of highway in Edo State.

    In several checkpoints seen along major highway monitored by our reporter, policemen were not seen.

    The soldiers mounted checkpoints at border towns.

     

     

     

  • Obaseki inspects Ewu, Ibore gully erosion remediation work

    …assures other communities of govt’s intervention

     

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured communities affected by gully erosion that the state’s intervention efforts would soon get to them, noting that ongoing remediation work at Ewu and Ibore gully erosion sites in Esan Central Local Government Area of the state would serve as a template to attend to their challenges.

    The remediation work at the Ewu and Ibore gully erosion sites is being executed by the state government and the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).

    The governor, who was at the site to inspect ongoing remediation work, identified human activities as the main cause of gully erosion, and urged residents of communities threatened by erosion and other forms of natural disasters to take proactive steps in raising the alarm for urgent government intervention.

    He noted, “If the communities had alerted government on time, the threat to their environment could have been prevented and unnecessary loss of lives and huge financial costs avoided.”

    Obaseki explained that the remediation work marked the end of the trauma, uncertainty, loss of lives and property in the two communities and a new beginning for proper environmental and waste management.

    He assured residents of Ugbalo Community, who are neighbors to Ibore that work would soon commence to address the challenge of flooding in the community.

    “In two months’ time, we will commence work at Ugbalo to tackle the runoff water from Ibore which is causing flooding there.”

    Read Also: Oshiomhole, Obaseki meet APC leaders in Edo

    The governor added that the state government’s next line of action in Esan Central Local Government council is economic empowerment for youths through technical education and revitalisation of Ewu Flour Mill to provide jobs.

    “I will also do something else for Ugbalo. The technical school at Irrua will be rehabilitated so your youth can acquire skills that would enable them sustain themselves.”

    Earlier, Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Dame Omoua Oni-Okpaku, said the remediation work on the erosion sites at Ewu and Ibore was among other ongoing projects across the state.

    Oni-Okpaku urged residents in the affected communities to cooperate with contractors handling the project to ensure completion of the project’s second phase.

    In his remarks, Onojie of Ewu, His Royal Highness, Rasaq Ojiefo III, expressed appreciation for the project, recounting how lives had been lost during rainy season, noting, “We thank you our governor, the contractors and everyone working towards the success of the project. We have lost over ten persons to this gully before this work commenced.”

    The spokesperson for Ibore Community, Mr. Theophilus Okoh, praised governor Obaseki for fulfilling his electioneering promises in 2016.

     

  • Deforestation: Edo commissions 39 motorcycles for monitoring

    …charges communities against encroachment

     

    As part of efforts to restore the integrity of her forest assets and preserve them in line with global practices, the Edo State Government has commissioned 39 motorcycles for her Forestry Department to penetrate hard-to-reach sections of its lush forests and guard against encroachment.

    The Edo State Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Dame Omoua Oni-Okpako Esq., said the newly commissioned motorcycles will aid in the patrol of the interiors of the state’s forest reserves, especially sections that are inaccessible to vehicles.

    The commissioner, who was represented by Director, Administration and Supply, Ministry of Environment and Sustainability, Mr. Clement Agatha, said that the new development would help check the removal of forest assets produced by concessioners.

    She said the state government was committed to reversing the depletion of her forest resources as a result of indiscriminate tree felling among other activities.

    Read Also: Edo PDP vows to secure votes

    According to her, “Edo State is experiencing serious and accelerated decline in her forest resources due to illegal and indiscriminate felling of trees, invasion of the high forest by cocoa migrant farmers, de-reservation of forestland by individuals, corporate bodies and communities for expansion, as well as wood waste from poor harvesting and conversion at stump site with power chain saw across the state.”

    She continued, “We have to strive to bring nature back to its original state so our focus now is on planting trees and conserving the remaining existing ones.

    Noting that the ministry will not tolerate any form of illegalities that further degrade the state’s forests and jeopardize the ecosystem, she enjoined forest officers and Edo residents to help the state government preserve endangered species in the forests by reporting unlawful activities in the forest.

    She said, “For effective forest sustainability, community leaders, corporate bodies, individuals and other stakeholders in the state should form a part of the process of protecting the forest. The total forest estate has been so depleted that much of the flora and fauna species are being endangered and others have gone extinct.”

  • Court quashes Edo Speaker’s suit

    The Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State, has thrown out the suit by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Kabiru Adjoto, over the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency.

    Peter Akpatason was declared winner of the primaries.

    Adjoto approached the court seeking to be declared the party’s candidate for the seat.

    Read also: Avoiding excessive bleeding after childbirth (2)

    Justice Muktar Umar said the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. He also held that Adjoto did not follow internal party mechanism to seek redress before rushing to court.

    But Adjoto said he was not satisfied with the judgment, and vowed to pursue the case to the Supreme Court.

  • Oshiomhole, Obaseki meet APC leaders in Edo

    Less than 48 hours to the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections slated for February 23, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Thursday met with leaders of the APC from the 18 local government councils in the state.

    Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting at Government House in Benin City, Governor Obaseki said his administration has recorded huge successes within a short time owing to support from President Buhari.

    He said: “Edo is an APC state and there is no doubt about it. President Buhari led-administration has been supportive to us. He has granted all our requests. He has also assured to do more for us.”

    Read Also: Obaseki orders payment of February salary to Edo workers

    The governor expressed confidence that the state would deliver one million votes for the re-election of President Buhari.

    Oshiomhole assured that the party would not allow thuggery and ballot box snatching during conduct of the elections on Saturday, February 23, across the country.

    He noted: “We had a special meeting today. We met as APC family to reaffirm our commitment in ensuring we do what is expected of us as leaders to mobilise Edo people to vote en masse for President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates in the election.

    “In Edo, we are used to one man, one vote. So, we will not allow thuggery and ballot box snatching,” he said.

    According to Oshiomhole, President Buhari has demonstrated that he is a trusted and honest leader, who deserves re-election to complete his developmental agenda across the country.

    He said: “We have resolved to give Buhari a second term and based on the track records of the APC governments in Edo State, I believe President Buhari will win.“

  • Rescheduled polls: Obaseki assures of adequate security

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured voters in the state of adequate security to ensure peaceful conduct of the rescheduled general elections, calling on the people to come out en masse to exercise their franchise to deepen democracy in the country.

    Obaseki gave the assurance in a state-wide broadcast on Thursday, stressing that the state was committed to working with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the election is free, fair, transparent and credible.

    He said, “as we know, election is the most significant ingredient of democracy and a major instrument for recruiting political leadership in democratic societies like ours. Participating in the democratic process enables the citizenry (the electorates) to freely determine who should lead them at every level of government periodically and take decisions that shape their socio-economic and political destiny; and if elected officers falter, the electorates still possess the power to recall them or vote them out in the next election.”

    Noting the state government’s resolve to contribute to deepening democratic governance in the country, the governor explained, “The issue of security will be key to the success of this election, therefore any threat to peace will be taken seriously and dealt with properly. I want to assure you all that adequate security arrangements have been put in place to prevent breakdown of law and order and guarantee free and fair elections in Edo State.

    “Any incidents of violence should be reported to the National Crisis Centre on telephone number: 196 or the Edo Election Crises Centre on telephone numbers: 08077773721 and 07033940263.”

    He cautioned Edo residents to refrain from public statements, pronouncements, speeches and hateful conduct capable of causing violence during and after the elections, adding, “Violence-free incidents at the polling units will encourage more people to come out and vote. This will boost the dwindling ratio of voters’ turn-out in recent years in Edo State and also contribute to nurturing and the consolidation of democratic governance in Nigeria which future generations would be proud of.”

    While urging support for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obaseki said, “2019 General Election is a crucial election to Edo people. Since I assumed office on the 12th of November 2016, all my actions, policies and programmes have been based on the agenda and manifesto of my party – the APC.

    Read Also: Obaseki’s aide urges INEC to embrace ICT

    “And as I stated in my New Year Message, our success as a government has been largely based on the support from President Muhammadu Buhari. With the assistance and intervention of President Buhari, we have been able to pay the salaries of all workers in Edo State as and when due. Pension payments due to state and local government retirees are now regular, and we are clearing the backlog of pension and gratuity arrears of all workers.”

    On the president’s support, he said, “President Buhari has supported and encouraged our Education reforms particularly the revamp of our technical colleges and EDOBEST, which is becoming a reference for educational transformation globally. My job creation efforts have been boosted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s N-Power initiative which has contributed over 12000 graduate jobs to the 80,000 jobs we have been able to create in the last two years mostly for young people.

    “Over 30,000 Edo citizens have benefited from the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes such as Trader-moni, market-moni. With the active support of Mr. President we are currently processing applications for federal government incentives such as export processing zone licence for the Benin Industrial park which by the grace of God will receive its first tenants early next year. This is happening at the same time as we are awaiting the Federal Government to guarantee the credit facility to develop the Benin River Port.”

    Noting that the major industrialization projects by his government are driven by the President’s support, he said, “I am very optimistic that President Buhari will grant us the required approvals which we need to break the monopoly of BEDC so that Edo people can enjoy constant supply of electricity just as he did when he gave us the approvals to build the 450MW Azura plant in Ihovbor. I have gone into great lengths to highlight how much we have benefited as a state from having an APC government in Abuja which has supported our government fully. If we are able to complement the support which we currently enjoy at the Federal level with competent legislators from my party, who are committed to the Edo Agenda, I am confident that I will be able to fulfill and perhaps exceed my promises to you.”

    Calling on the people to vote for APC candidates in the elections, he said, “I am therefore using the opportunity of this broadcast to solicit your support and the goodwill of all well-meaning Edo citizens to sustain the current development efforts of my government by voting all the candidates of APC. They all have a history of patriotic service. Your vote for my party APC and our candidates will guarantee that I can complete all my ongoing projects and reposition Edo State as a major state where it rightly belongs.”