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Tag: Edo State

  • Edo shuts 10 illegal burrow pits

    Edo State Government has begun enforcement of the order on illegal burrows, by shutting operations of not less than 10 burrow pits in Benin City, the state capital, in a renewed drive to safeguard the state’s environmental integrity.

    The enforcement team was led by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Sustainability, Mr. Bright Emeodume Esq. and the Ministry’s Director of Enforcement, Mr. Ero Isaac.

    The affected burrow pits are located in Ofumwegbe after Iguogboe community as well as those in Iguoshodin Ccommunity, among others.

    Recall that the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability ordered the closure of burrow pits by operators with immediate effect, citing health and environmental concerns.

    In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Dame Omoua Alonge Oni-Okpaku Esq., the state government suspended operations on all burrow pits.

    Read Also: Edo IGR hits N2bn monthly

    The order, which took effect from August 2, warned owners and operators of burrow pits, haulage operators, tipper drivers and other stakeholders, that operation of a burrow pit without the appropriate approval is a criminal offence punishable by law.

    Oni-Okpaku explained that the shutting down of burrow pit operations was to enable the state government “re-evaluate and re-certify the sites.”

    According to the Commissioner, “Towards this end, all such owners and operators are required to report to the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability for re-certification and subsequent inspection of their sites. For the avoidance of doubts, the following documents will be required for the exercise: operating licence issued by the Federal Ministry of Mines, Steel and Solid Minerals; Evidence of Environment Impact Assessment carried out on the sites; Evidence of remediation levies and Health, Safety and Environmental Plans.”

     

  • Flooding: Edo intensifies work at resettlement camps, safe havens

    The Edo State Government has said that work has intensified at designated resettlement camps across the state to receive residents, who are displaced by flooding.

    Persistent rainfall in the past few weeks dislodged some persons from their homes, as the state government announced the opening of resettlement camps for residents that were adversely affected by the heavy downpours.

    The state government issued flood alert in parts of the state last week, following new predictions that the state will experience flooding incidence with the persistent rainfall and the release of water from dams in neighbouring countries.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr Yakubu Gowon, said that an inter-ministerial committee to oversee the relocation of affected persons and running of the resettlement camps and safe havens has been set up.

    He disclosed that the committee is made up of officials of the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), special assistants to the governor in the various wards, officials of ministries of infrastructure, environment and health, local council chairmen, members of the Red Cross, Fire Service and local government councillors, who are on standby to assist people in distress.

    He listed the areas earmarked as safe havens to include “the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camp in Oghomere in Etsako Central Local Government Area and the skills acquisition centre in Fugar.

    Read Also: Edo intensifies promotion of local languages

    “In Esan South East Local Government Area, the council hall and the hall of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Ubiaja will serve as safe haven.  In Ikpoba-Okha local council, Western Boys High School hall has been pencilled down to receive those displaced from their homes in the council area,” he added.

    He said that men and women will be separated in the camps to protect their rights and assured that effort is being made to procure more relief materials to be delivered when the camps are ready.

    “In Ovia North East, the local government chairman has donated a place in Okada while another place in Gelegele, in the same local council will provide succour to flood victims,” Gowon said.

    The governor’s aide maintained that the relevant ministries have desilted blocked drainages to ease the flow of water in the city.

    Two weeks ago, Edo State government donated relief materials to communities affected by windstorm in Esan West and Owan West local government areas of the state. Similar donation had been made in ten local councils where windstorm destroyed houses.

    Handing over the relief materials on behalf of the state government to chairmen of the two local councils in Benin City, the state capital, Gowon said “This is a continuous exercise, we have donated relief materials to communities in about 12 local government areas and we have been receiving letters of appreciation from the beneficiaries.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Hydrological Services Agencies (NHISA) have warned that 12 states across the country would experience flooding due to torrential rain falls.

    The two agencies gave the warning during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held with relevant stakeholders in Abuja.

    Mr Clem Nze, Director, Engineering Hydrology, NHISA, listed the states to include: Kogi, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Edo, Anambra, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states, from the River Niger axis.

    He also listed Taraba, Benue and Adamawa as states to be affected from the River Benue axis.

    He said that the decision to raise the alarm was to ensure preparedness among stakeholders and residents of flood-prone communities.

    The NEMA and NHISA alert followed a similar alert issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMeT), warning of high floods in some identified states across the country including Edo.

  • Edo IGR hits N2bn monthly 

    …To abolish stop and search for vehicle particulars

     

     

    Edo State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has hit an average of N2bn monthly from N1.55bn in 2016 when Governor Godwin Obaseki was sworn-in.

    This represent 25 percent growth rate within the period under review.

    The state government is expecting increased IGR in the last quarter of 2018 when the newly developed Edo Revenue Administration System ERAS is fully implemented this month.

    Read Also:Buhari administration addressing illegal migration, says APC

    Also, the number of verified and unverified persons in the state government tax net has been increased from 120,000 in 2016 to 250,000 in 2018.

    Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) Mr. Igbinudu Inneh, who disclosed this in a chat with newsmen, said the 50 persons were currently undergoing training with a view to sending them out to confirm the status of the additional 140,000 people that were captured within the last two years.

    Inneh who debunked report of decreased IGR stated that Governor Obaseki identified six critical success factors for revenue generation at the inception of his administration.

    He listed the factors to include technology, data, human capital development, stakeholders’ engagement, public enlightenment and man power development.

    The EIRS disclosed that the state government developed ERAS to help create jobs and distribute wealth.

    He explained that ERAS has mobile revenue collection components that would allow collectors to use revenue scratch cards.

    According to him, “We started out in trying to developing an Edo Revenue Administration System which relies in technology. Technology on its own will not do it for you, you need human intervention.

    “We now want to make sure we know those in the informal sector and know how much they have paid. For once, they will have a citizen identity ship that the government can relate with.

    “The discount on the cards is the wealth that will trickle down. Those collecting money illegally before will have opportunity to buy the cards and sell to make money.

    “We have done enumeration in the local government. We have all the buildings and their GPS coordinates. Vehicle owners will now be getting alerts on the anniversary of their vehicle renewal. Because we have their house address, we can send notices to your house that you need to renew your vehicle so we don’t need to do stop and search because we have the data base.

    “Expanding the tax net is some feature the automation will help us to do. Each tax payer has a tax profile on the system so you can ask for a single tax assessment view. People can pull out their tax profile and know what they are expected to pay and when to pay. Your tax clearance can be issued to you electronically. We will now send SMS alert to tax papers immediately they pay.”

  • Obaseki attracting foreign investment to Edo – Osagie

    … says he hopes Orbih will be a free man to benefit from projects

     

    The Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, has said that the state is on the march towards more prosperity with the recent investment deals signed with Chinese investors in Beijing, China.

    Osagie noted that while the deals further validate the commitment of Obaseki’s administration to industrialise the state, he explained that “on the flip side, the deals in China have dealt a final blow to the lies and falsehood peddled over time, by members of the dying Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

    The governor’s aide said: “After several rounds of engagements with Chinese investors, Edo people received the heart-warming news few days ago, of the successful signing of the investment agreements on all three big ticket investments; the Benin Industrial Park, Benin River Port in Gelegele and the modular refinery projects which were successfully signed in Beijing, China, on the sidelines of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).”

    He added that since the signing of the final investment agreement with the Chinese investors, “Governor Godwin Obaseki, senior officials in his administration and well-meaning Edo people in their millions, residents and friends of the state, have been basking in the euphoria of the prospect of a state on its way to more prosperity.

    “Unfortunately, some elements within the dying Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who have a brush with the law for alleged fraud, may be behind bars when these projects come on stream.”

    Read Also: Obaseki urges behavourial change in anti-corruption fight

    According to Osagie, “At various social gatherings of Edo progressives in the state and in the diaspora, the investment agreements with the Chinese companies have dominated discussions.

    “While torrents of goodwill messages and phone calls are being exchanged across the world by people who believe in our dear state and the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki, many are toasting to what experts describe as an action that will turn Edo State from a landlocked state to one of Nigeria’s gateways to the international market.”

    He explained that “The combined impact of an industrial park, a seaport and a refinery will undo the drag in our socio-economic development, which has held us down for decades.”

    “While we await the congratulatory message of the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the dying Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, on this great feat that will benefit all Edo people, we urge him to salute the Godwin Obaseki-led administration’s triumph in an area – industrialization – where the dying Edo PDP failed abysmally,” he said.

    He assured that “The industrialization of Edo State is a task that the Obaseki administration is committed to and we are reclaiming all the opportunities we missed under the self-serving PDP administration in Edo State.”

    Osagie emphasized that “Never again will Edo people allow charlatans like Dan Orbih, Chris Nehikhare and their co-travellers access to power and reverse our progress.”

    On the fraud allegation case against Orbih, Osagie said: “I wish Chief Dan Orbih a great day in court soon, as he faces justice over his N700 million fraud case and I hope he will be a free man to enjoy the benefits of an industrialized Edo State.”

  • Edo intensifies promotion of local languages

    …concludes summer school for 100 children

     

    As part of efforts to promote and preserve the identity and heritage of the Edo people, the Edo State Government has deployed 253 teachers to teach Edo languages in schools across the state.

    Commissioner for Education, Hon. (Barr) Emmanuel Agbale, disclosed this during the closing ceremony of the first Summer School on Edo Language for children organised by the Benin Cultural Heritage Centre.

    He assured the President and members of the Benin Cultural Heritage Centre of the ministry’s commitment in ensuring knowledge of local languages by Edo children.

    Read Also: Abducted Edo APC chieftain released

    He said the centre’s willingness to partner with the state in ensuring the continuity of Edo languages is laudable and expressed appreciation for the feat achieved in the provision of free language lessons for Edo children.

    He further mentioned that as part of steps taken to actualize the objective, the state government has trained 253 in-service teachers and posted them to schools across the state.

    In his address, the President of the Benin Cultural Heritage Centre, Edi Ighile said the centre successfully trained over 100 children in speaking, writing, teaching of history, culture and conversation in Edo language.

    He also said that in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the programme will be an annual event and assured that future programmes will be done in more locations.

  • Edo orders arrest of PUWOV official over extortion

    …urges motorists to be guided by traffic rules 

     

    The Edo State Government has ordered the arrest of one Kingsley Edebiri, an official of the State Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV), over alleged extortion from unsuspecting motorists in Benin City, Edo State capital.

    Addressing journalists at the Government House in Benin City, the Coordinator of PUWOV, Mukhtar Yusuf-Osagie said he had been receiving calls from motorists over cases of extortion by volunteers with the programme, and had warned his men to desist from such act.

    Yusuf-Osagie noted that over 15 volunteers with PUWOV have been arrested, dismissed and charged to court, adding that some of them have even been imprisoned for flouting the law under the cover of PUWOV.

    He explained that he was contacted by some motorists who reported a case of extortion by a volunteer with PUWOV, after which he asked the motorists to come to the office and identify the suspects. “Before the drivers came, I asked the volunteers, but none admitted to committing the offence. When the drivers came, they identified Kingsley Edebiri as the culprit who collected money from them.”

    He said that Edebiri employed two other persons to extort money from unsuspecting motorists, noting, “We have arrested him while a manhunt for the two others has commenced.”

    Read Also: Edo APC dismisses non-performance allegation

    He urged commercial vehicles drivers to park and pick passengers only from designated areas, appealing to drivers not to fight with volunteers but report any issue to the PUWOV office at Urhokpota Hall.

    “We have a jacket and vest with an identification number to identify each of our men. If you find anyone who doesn’t put on jacket and vest, such volunteer should be reported,” he added.

    A motorist, Chika Dike, explained that Kingsley Edebiri and his group arrested about six drivers after the close of work for the day at Ezoti Street, where each of them paid about N4,000 to the group.

    Another motorist, who was also extorted by the Edebiri group, Onyekachukwu Aju, commended the Governor Godwin Obaseki led-administration and the leader of PUWOV, for the good work and restoring sanity to the city.

     

  • Obaseki lauds charitable bodies’ work in North East

    …support for fight against human trafficking

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has commended the contribution of charitable organisations bringing succour to thousands of displaced people in Nigeria’s North East region, which has been ravaged by insurgency.

    The governor, who said this in commemoration of the International Day of Charity marked on September 5, by the United Nations, lauded the bodies for their roles in crisis and emergency situations and for contributing to deepening development in rural areas.

    He also praised their support and commitment in the fight against human trafficking in the state, arguing that the complementary role of such bodies drives development.

    According to him, “As the world marks the International Day of Charity, I am humbled by the work of charitable bodies in providing support and succor to millions of Nigerians displaced in Nigeria’s North East as well as their support for our campaign against human trafficking.

    Read Also: Obaseki urges behavourial change in anti-corruption fight

    “As a government, we will efficiently manage available resources to bring development to the people. In doing so, we are happy to have supporters with the same vision to lift our people out of poverty and provide them with tools to lead heathier, happier lives.

    “These bodies, which promote volunteerism and philanthropic activities, have helped thousands of people to find their place in life. They have also been instrumental to the fight against irregular migration. Their effort must be commended.”

    The governor stressed that concerted efforts are being made to lift as many people out of poverty with the coming on stream, projects that will industrialise the state and open it up for investment.

    The United Nations Day of Charity is marked on September 5th every year. The day is set aside to recognise the role of philanthropy in the eradication of all forms of poverty and attend to the needs of the most vulnerable people.

  • China varsity okays chemical engineering programme in Edo

    The modular refinery deal signed by the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and representatives of Peiyang Chemical Equipment Company (PCC) in China few days ago, has earned the state a chemical engineering programme.

    The programme to be domiciled in a university in the state, will be run in collaboration with the highly ranked Tianjin University, China, the oldest institution in the Asian country.

    According to Obaseki, “The university programme is an added benefit to the modular refinery deal which final investment agreement was signed few days ago in Beijing.”

    He explained that “The programme will build technical manpower for the oil and gas industry in line with the federal government’s policy on local capacity development in the sector. The idea is to develop technical manpower and set industry standards in the oil and gas sector.”

    Read Also: Edo r-APC members join PDP

    He emphasized that Edo State has a large army of productive and creative young people that would leverage on the learning opportunity that the chemical engineering programme will provide.

    “Our young people will benefit from the world class programme of Tianjin University. Our goal is to equip more of our youths to participate in the new social and economic order we are creating in the state that will run on a solid industrial base. The social and economic opportunities we are providing across the state are increasing by the day and we want to prepare our young ones for the various industries.”

    Tianjin University is the oldest institution of higher education in the modern history of China and the leading research and teaching institute.

    The university was founded in 1895 as Peiyang University. Tianjin University’s 121-year history is the epitome of the progress of modern Chinese higher education, embodying the Chinese people’s indomitability through challenging times.

  • Flood destroys 3,700 card readers in Edo

    INEC to relocate state headquarters

    Over 3,700 card readers at the Edo State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission have been destroyed by flood.

    The Edo INEC headquarters have been ravaged by flood for the past three weeks.

    Workers usually run out of their offices whenever there is heavy downpour to avoid be trapped inside their offices.

    Chairman, INEC Standing Committee on Estate and Works, Engineer Abubakar Nahuche, who spoke to newsmen after accessing the damage caused by the flood said several electoral materials were destroyed.

    Engr. Nahuche said a lot Information Communication Technology equipment were also damaged.

    He however stated that the damage caused by the flood would not affect the preparation for the 2019 general election.

    Read Also: Flood destroys farmlands, houses in Edo

    Nahuche appealed to state government to tackle the menace of flood in the Ikpoba-Hill area where the Edo INEC headquarters is located.

    He said the national headquarters of the commission was considering relocating the state headquarters to another place.

    Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Alex-Hart, said he was yet to quantify what was lost to the flood.

    “The flooding has paralyzed activities at the INEC headquarters in Edo. Where the office is situated is a valley and when it rains, you have surface run-off of water from all the areas to that place.”

  • Obaseki’s battle against irregular migration, receives UK govt support

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki’s all-out fight against modern slavery and irregular migration has received a huge boost from the United Kingdom (UK) Government with the roll-out of a package to protect thousands of vulnerable men, women and children from modern day slavery and unsafe migration through the use of former slaves as myth-busters, among other innovative prevention work.

    The programme will comprise “public information campaigns, awareness raising at schools and universities, and new research.”

    The Obaseki administration has been at the forefront of the fight against the menace, leading a state government-backed effort that has seen the enactment of a law in the state prohibiting trafficking in persons, a taskforce as well as an elaborate reintegration programme for returnees and enlisting the support of the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, among others.

    UK aid, in a statement, said it is “investing a further £6 million in the ‘Stamping Out Slavery’ in Nigeria (SOSIN) programme, taking its total value to £10 million.”

    International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, said: “It is a necessity that we step up and stamp out modern slavery for good. I am appalled that this shameful stain on our global conscience still exists in the 21st Century.

    “I am proud UK support is driving the charge in tackling the root causes of dangerous migration to prevent vulnerable men, women and children from becoming targeted by traffickers or attempting treacherous journeys again. The benefits of this will be far reaching – preventing regional instability and helping us tackle slavery here in the UK.

    Read Also: Obaseki urges behavourial change in anti-corruption fight

    “The package is expected to facilitate deployment of British expertise to “help reduce vulnerabilities to trafficking and unsafe migration through targeted public information campaigns in Edo State. UK government communication specialists will design and lead this in partnership with the Nigerian anti-trafficking police.”

    It will also “boost engagement with young people at schools and universities to change the aspirations of potential victims; commission innovative research on what works to prevent dangerous migration attempts and support NGOs who use former slavery victims to counter false myths that tempt people towards the traffickers.”

    The statement added, “Working in partnership with Edo State, a critical trafficking hotspot, this UK aid will shape scalable, cost-effective interventions that tackle the key drivers of modern slavery and unsafe migration attempts. Changing the aspirations of potential victims and migrants in a targeted and tailored way will be essential to achieving this. This is why UK government communication specialists will design and lead a new public information campaign to do just that, in partnership with the Nigerian anti-trafficking police.”