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Tag: Edo State

  • Aggrieved Edo APC leaders set to join SDP

    Nobody will leave us, Party scribe

     

    Some aggrieved leaders of the All Progressive Congress in Edo State are planning to dump the party for the Social Democratic Party.

    Majority of the aggrieved leaders are said to be from Orhionmwon, Uhunmwode, Ovia North East, Oredo and Ovia South West all in Edo South senatorial district.

    Their grouse, according to sources, include alleged abandonment by Governor Godwin Obaseki, hijacking of the party structures in their locality and not having a say no who gets what from the party.

    One of the leaders said they have been placed at the back ground in the affairs of the APC in the state.

    What further fueled their decision to leave the APC was alleged Governor Obaseki’s decision to give power to all party members and allowed party matters be handled through various organs of the party.

    An indication to the planned defection by the aggrieved APC was Monday’s announcement of a chieftain of the APC in Uhunmwode and former Political Adviser to former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Mr. Charles Idahosa, to suspend further participation in all APC activities in the state.

    Idahosa in a statement issued to journalists said he was not dumping the APC but needed to take a break “in order to carry out a deeper surgical analysis from a detached point of view”.

    He stated that the great relief and comfort in his decision ‘rest in the fact that human beings may betray you but your heart cannot betray you’.

    Idahosa noted that the facts that informed the actions of the Edo APC in recent times were strange to me and that he has struggled to come to terms with those facts and the consequential actions of the party.

    Read Also: Edo set to seal $500m Vehicle Assembly Plant

    He said, “Given the present state of affairs, I have decided to suspend active political partisan participation in the state. I believe the period will afford me the opportunity to seek an enlightened perspective of the issues, consult widely for clarifications where need be and take more informed position on the politics of Edo state.

    “For every decision, there are consequences and possibilities. Yet, when a dog begins to bark at its owner, the dog owner should strut around in caution. That is the sobering epiphany of the present time.

    “I am a proud and happy man with independent mind of my own. Resistance against curtailments of rights and oppressive tendencies is my second nature. God forbid that I should keep quiet in the face of a charade and injustice perpetuated with savage impunity.”

    State Secretary of the APC, Mr. Lawrence Okah, said the party would discuss with identified aggrieved members and resolved the issues

    Okah who denied speculations that Governor Obaseki’s visit to Uhunmwode local government at the weekend was to spite Idahosa said the party would receive defectors rather than people leaving the party.

    He also said the just concluded APC congress in the state was the best across the country.

    His words, “We will meet with Idahosa and find out what the issues are and resolved them. The more the merrier. People can be annoyed but the ability to resolve them is what matters.

    “We know what they are talking about. We will work on it. We will have more people joining us and not anybody leaving us.

    “What the Governor went to Uhunmwode for was development. He felt Uhunmwode was neglected by previous government and he want to ensure as a Governor the people feel the impact of his administration.

    “He asked each Ward in Uhunmwode to have Uhunmwode Development Unit for the purpose of identifying areas of need.

    “Our state congress was one of the best. We did consultation and negotiation. There was no congress at all. That was why there was no feasible crisis. We negotiate. We made it in a way that one leader cannot have all positions. We set a bench mark that each unit must have a representatives. What that implies is that a leader in Unit one cannot determine what will happen in another Unit.”

  • Ongoing reforms will drive job creation – Obaseki

    …to revive Agbede Farm

     

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that ongoing reforms in basic education, health and agricultural sectors would create more jobs and wealth for youths in the state.

    Obaseki said this when he visited the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Etsako West Local Government Area, Edo State, Alhaji Akokhia Abubakar.

    According to the governor, “Reforms in basic education, health and agricultural sectors will continue to attract investors to the state. This will, in turn, create more job opportunities for youths. We are working with investors to revive the Agbede Farm, which will create jobs for our people.”

    The governor added that the state government will continue to embark on reforms that will make life more meaningful for the people, especially youths and discourage them from embarking on illegal migration or become prey for human traffickers.

    Read Also:World Bank Reps in Edo, meet Obaseki on strategies to transform LGs

    He said the state will not relent in the fight against human trafficking which caused the illegal migration of at least 10,000 persons from the state, in the past one year.

    The governor who also visited Alhaji Usman Shaghadi, a state leader of the APC, and lauded Alhaji Shaghadi for his contributions to the growth and stability in the state chapter of the APC.

    He noted, “We appreciate your contributions to the growth of the party, especially the role you played during the local government elections and the state congress, which has been adjudged peaceful by independent observers.”

    The APC Chairman, Etsako West Local Government Area, Alhaji Abubakar, expressed appreciation to the governor for the visit, and assured that the people in the local government area will continue to support his reforms to make the state better for all.

    Similarly, Shaghadi commended the governor for the peace being enjoyed in the state, adding, “security has greatly improved in Edo State. We appreciate your effort, approach to handling security issues and your style of leadership, which has improved security across the state.”

  • Obaseki vows to recover funds from EDSOPADEC contractors

    44 abandoned projects identified

     

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has vowed to recover funds from contractors found to have abandoned projects awarded to them by the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOPADEC).

    Governor Obaseki said he would not constitute a new board for the commission until he has cleaned up the system.

    Obaseki said he was disappointed with the manner the commission utilized funds given to it in the last six years.

    He spoke when he received the Engineering Audit of EDSOPADEC’s projects from 2011 to 2017.

    The audit was done by Development Engineering Konsult Limited and EDSOPADEC is being funded by the 13% derivation fund accrued to oil producing states.

    Governor Obaseki who expressed dissatisfaction with the poor handling of projects said it was discouraging that the commission failed in its mandate to utilise funds to ameliorate developmental challenges in oil producing communities.

    Read Also: Obaseki sacks staff of College of Agriculture

    Obaseki mandated the permanent secretaries in the state’s ministries of Infrastructure and Urban & Regional Planning, to review the audit report submitted by the Development Engineering Konsult Limited and develop a white paper thereafter.

    According to him, “There is need for baseline study of the oil and gas producing communities in order to develop economic master plans for the development of the communities. The state has developed a tripartite arrangement for project execution in oil and gas producing communities, which would involve the companies, host communities and government.

    “I am not happy that of the funds for projects made available to the commission only 30 percent were put to use, while similar commission at the regional level had only expended 10 per cent of funds for project execution.

    “These commissions that were supposed to build alternative economies and assist oil and gas producing communities to prepare for a time when crude oil resources would be exhausted, have not done enough for the communities.

    “This is unacceptable. Hence, we will not constitute new board for EDSOPADEC until we clean up the system. We will invite contractors who abandoned projects and where there is need for the contractors to return funds meant for projects we will not relent until such funds are fully recovered.

    Presenting the audit report, representative of the audit firm, Engineer Sylvester Osara, said a total of 117 projects were executed and completed by EDSOPADEC in oil and gas producing communities across Orhionmwon, Ikpoba -Okha and Ovia North East local government areas.

    Osara said 46 out of the 117 projects either failed or were vandalised while 44 other projects were abandoned across the three local government areas.

    He called for assessment to be carried out before execution of projects to allow host communities own and maintain projects in their areas.

  • APC National Chairmanship Race: Why I am not re-contesting – Oyegun

    Barely 24 hours after his decision not to seek re-election, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun said the interest and future of the party, rather than personal gains informed his decision not to re-contest the position of national chairman of the party.

    He dismissed speculations that he may have been intimidated out of the race to retain his position in the party leadership, saying he believed that it was in the interest of the party that does not add to the existing problems.

    Oyegun also dismissed speculations making the round that members of the nPDP were plotting to leave the party, saying the may have chosen this time in the nation’s polity to present their complaints in other to get a good bargain and not necessarily because they want to leave the party.

    The APC Chairman who spoke on the two issues for the first time at an interactive session with Journalists at his residence said those fronting former Edo State state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for the position may have been doing so based on the resolution of the National Executive Committee of the party to regain the current zoning formula in the party.

    Oyegun said: “I wasn’t intimidated out. I took into consideration and I was influenced by my own consideration of what is in the best interest of the party. I have relatively been stubborn and I have been through intense pressure. You are in the media and you know how intense it was that Oyegun must go. I held to the point of principle.

    Read Also: Breaking: I will not seek second term – Oyegun

    “What makes me so glad today is that in all the virility of the attacks and the intensity of the attacks, it was easy to locate it.it was easy to see that by and large, the top leadership of the party were on my side. That is the thing that gave me the most intense satisfaction.

    “So, I wasn’t intimidate out. I just felt we should let somebody else bring some different Air into the system. That was all. It is in the interest of the party that I do not become the problem or the major part of the problem for the party to solve.

    “As for anybody coming in, the contest is open. The man you mentioned has indicated his interest and it is left to the party. There is nothing to dialogue about. You offer yourself for service because you think you have fresh ideas or a new sense of direction or whatever is legitimate. It doesn’t matter where you come from.

    “Again, if you go back to the NEC decision, it said, to the greatest extent possible, the existing zoning should be maintained. What that meant is that since the chairmanship is located in Edo State, the high possibility is that they will also be looking for somebody to replace him from Edo State.”

    Chief Oyegun also said he does not feel betrayed b6 the fac5 that the APC governors who initially stood behind him suddenly dumped him and jumped into the Oshiomhole project.

    He said “As a matter of fact, the reality is that I felt very proud that most of the structures of the party had lined up behind me. But when the reality changed, it is only legitimate that people should make fresh assessment of the new development, decide and act accordingly.

    “For me, if I didn’t make a fresh assessment, I probably would not he saying the things that I am saying right now. It is only normal that in a situation of change, things should change especially when you are faced with new realities. In that situation, the governors and myself, the affected party had to do a fresh rethink.

    Speaking on the crisis in the party at various levels as a result of congresses already conducted, he said “Maybe the so called tenure elongation would not have been such a bad thing afterall. Let us face it. We have finished the congresses and now going for the convention.

    “At the end of the convention, we are also going to have a series of contests in terms of primaries, terminating with the presidential. It is not an ideal situation to confront an election.

    “But what has happened has happened. What any leader must do now is to best manage the realities that exist and out the party in the best possible fighting shape for the 2019 elections. That is something that we must undertake. It is not a matter of choice, but a matter we must undertake.

    “The next few weeks and months will be time for reconciliations, times for consensus building, times for taking care of aggrieved parties within the fold. It does happen with every political contest. It is after that, that you start the fence mending.

    “The APC is one of the most incredible parties in the country today. It is a progressive party and I want you to look around the world. All progressive parties, their hallmark is the contestations of views and approaches to how thing should be done.

    “It is like that all over the world, whether it is Democratic Party, the Labour Party or any other party. That does not mean that the party is constantly in a state of crisis. What is important is that you truly don’t get major blocks within the party that say they want to head out inspite of what has happened.

    “Instead, we are still getting influx of members, including serving members of the national Assembly that are coming in. So, it is a life party, it is virile party and a party where ideas are strongly ad hotly contested and that is healthy. You can’t wish for anything better.”

    He dismissed reports credited to Imo state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha that he (Oyegun) was witch hunting him (Okorocha) because he opposed tenure elongation, the APC Chairman said “Well, the processes are still on, so, it is not good to answer you in detail.

    “But the answer lies in one fact which is the fact that he is not the only one who opposed the so called tenure elongation. How come he is the only one who is being witch hunted? He wasn’t even the strongest proponent or force behind the objection to tenure elongation. So, why is his case different?

    “That is the question that you ask yourself. I don’t think it is necessary to go into the details. When you look at the totality of the event in that state, I think you can get a clearer picture of what is going on because there is a united voice calling for a different way of doing things.”

    Oyegun also spoke on the decision of party leaders in the south east to endorse the three members of the National Working Committee from the area to return, saying “the party constitution allow you two terms just like it allows me two terms.

    “But I have exercise my option by not offering myself for a second term. As a matter of fact, when the details comes out in the next few days, you will see that most of the states in the north returned most of their executives because they have only had one term and that one term has had its issues.

    “Also, we did not want to create a situation where we will lose most of our experienced hands who worked for victory in the first term and are still available to work for victory for the second term. At the end of the day, you totally don’t throw away the winning team.”

    Also speaking for the first time on the demands of the Kawu Baraje led nPDP, Chief Oyegun said “The process is still ongoing and until we reach understanding with them, it won’t be right to comment. But I think that we tend to have read too much that is negative into their act.

    “I just have a feeling that like all people who want the best terms for themselves, they come at a period when they think it is advantageous for them. Given the state of the polity, I supposed they choose this time not because they want to leave the APC or because they were fed up with the APC or cause trouble within the APC, but because they want a good deal for themselves given the totality of what is going on in the party.

    “So, we have accepted their protest in good faith and we are seating down with them to work out something that will be mutually beneficial to both interests.”

  • Edo ALGON gets Exco

    Edo State chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has elected Mr. Jenkins Osunde as its chairman.

    Jenkins is the chairman of Oredo local government.

    Other members of the new Edo ALGON executives include Comrade John Akhigbe, Chairman, Etsako Central Local Council, as Vice Chairman; Hon. Victor Emuakhagbon, Chairman,Esan South East Local Council, as Secretary; while the Chairman of Esan Central Local Government Council, Hon. Waziri Edokpa, serves as the body’s Treasurer.

    Read Also: Obaseki set to launch innovation hub in Edo

    Osunde announced this to newsmen after the State Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting presided over by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    He disclosed that a total of N2.97 billion accrued to the 18 Local Government Councils in the state from the Federation Account for the month of April.

    Osunde stated salaries for primary school teachers gulped N1.11 billion; N100 million was deducted for pension arrears while N264 million was set aside as Pension Fund for the local government councils.

    He added that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the 18 local government councils increased from N187 million recorded in April to N206 million generated in May.

  • World Bank Reps in Edo, meet Obaseki on strategies to transform LGs                                                              

    Still basking in the euphoria of the success of the Edo-Azura Power project and other World Bank-support projects in Edo State, Senior Director, Governance Global Practice, of the bank, Debbie Wentzel, arrived Benin City, the state capital on Friday, to consolidate the existing development-focused relationship between the bank and the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration.

    Welcoming his guests, Obaseki expressed his pleasure with the series of visits by senior officials of the World Bank to Benin City and their desire to be part of the ongoing transformation of the state.

    The governor said: “We have gone through a learning curve with the World Bank, a journey which started over nine years ago and we want to drive this down to the local government councils so that every individual in the state will feel the impact of our government at all levels.”

    He explained that at the state level, several reforms of key institutions have changed work culture for better outcomes, and added: “Our institutions are working at the state level and we want to work at strengthening the local councils.”

    Read Also:Obaseki, World Bank, step up consultation

    The governor said that his administration also plans to work with the World Bank in strengthening governance-support structures for optimal performance and deepen the deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the state.

    He maintained that what the state needs from the World Bank now is ‘More Knowledge and less Cash’ so that the state will optimise her resources for the benefit of all.

    The World Bank Senior Director, Governance Global Practice, who led the bank’s delegation, said: “We are hoping to work with all the states in the country to support them improve their governance structures. We want to see how the states are working and how the World Bank can support them get better results.”

    Wentzel added: “We will be looking at building states’ transparency, economic recovery; revenue collection and creating an enabling environment where private sector can thrive better.”

    Other members of the delegation were; Practice Manager, Hisham Waly; Lead Project Specialist, Chief Bayo Awosemusi; Senior Public Sector Specialist, Ikechukwu Nweje; Senior Operations Officer, John Paul Ngebeh; and Procurement Specialist, Sunday Osoba.

    The meeting also featured sessions on the implementation of the State Employment and Expenditure For Results (SEEFOR) project which falls under Wentzel’s portfolio.

  • LAPO Empowers 19,124 Women with Social Skills

    As part of its contributions towards the development of social skills especially among women, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO) has empowered 19,124 women with social development skills.

    LAPO said this would enable them (women) to overcome the socio-cultural and traditional inhibitions militating against their progress and realization of their aspirations.

    The Executive Director of the organisation, Sabina Idowu-Osehobo, in a statement, expressed concerns that a lot of women were discriminated against in the society, marginalized and excluded from life transforming opportunities.

    Idowu-Osehobo, said sustainable development could not be achieved without women inclusion.

    According to her, LAPO is committed to the dismantling of structures and processes that encourage discrimination, injustice and violence against women, adding that gender-based discrimination permeates all cultures, and often manifests in laws, policies, and practices of institutions.

    It is noteworthy that LAPO has been in the forefront of bringing gender issues to wider attention, promoting legal and policy reforms and supporting projects that empower women economically.

    In the same vein, the organisation has trained 103,437 under its Business Management Training project.

    LAPO said the purpose of the training was to enable them manage their businesses more successfully.

    “The training is expected to strengthen their capacity to develop long-term vision for their businesses, maintain good customer relations, develop sustainable plans, keep appropriate book of accounts and manage their financial records.

    “The training commenced in Mid-West Zone in Benin City, Edo state with 12 experienced facilitators. Features of the project include lectures, practical training and experience sharing,” the statement said.

  • Sustainable Devt: World Bank lauds Obaseki’s PPP model

    The World Bank has lauded the Governor Godwin Obaseki’s blueprint for the development of the state, which leverages on the synthesis of the expertise of the private sector and an open, transparent public sector.

    World Bank Country Director for Nigeria and Coordinating Director for West Africa Regional Integration, Rachid Benmessaoud, said this during a meeting between the World Bank Team and officials of the Edo State Government, at the Government House in Benin City.

    He said that the World Bank “is impressed with how your government was able to provide the conducive environment for the private sector by operating a transparent, open and accountable government, and understanding what it takes for the private sector to come in by bringing the public element to the private sector.”

    Read Also:World Bank backs Obaseki’s devt drive

    Benmessaoud noted, “The Executive Directors of the bank are appreciative of the fact that you brought the public and private angles to address the state’s development challenges. You have established a flagship effort that has resulted in the Azura power plant where you brought all of us together as one World Bank group at the site. We appreciate you and your team. I think you have done a lot in the state. We are very proud to be part of this journey. We hope to see how we can continue the journey together.”

    Speaking on the success of Edo-Azura Power project, he said, “After visiting the state, the Executive Directors are studying how we can replicate this success, not only in the next Azura Phase II or III, but what it will take to do five more Azuras in Nigeria and other parts of the world. The question on everyone’s lips now is how can we have more Azuras in West Africa?”

    He disclosed that “Other Executive Directors have started looking at East Africa to replicate the Edo model. You have really created a blue- print for the power sector, which clearly shows how governments can play a vital role in encouraging private sector growth.

    “This is absolutely in line with what our President; Jim Yong Kim wants us to do. He wants us to focus on two things.  One building human capital and second, maximizing finance for development.”

    According to the World Bank official, “Human capital entails investing in your own people because that is not the role the development partner can play.”

    He assured that “What we will do on human capital is to assist your government address the human capital needs. We will put our resources into it. Both the resources of the world Bank and other development partners will be used to assisting you find solutions to development challenges.”

    He emphasized that Nigeria does not need piloting anymore, “what Nigeria needs is scale, we need development scale and solutions that can work in the Nigerian context.”

  • World Bank backs Obaseki’s devt drive

    …Urges other states to replicate Edo blueprint

     

    The World Bank has thrown its weight behind the ongoing developmental drive of the Godwin Obaseki-led administration in Edo State, urging other states in the country to replicate the Edo model.

    Country Director of World Bank, Nigeria and Co-ordinating Director for Regional Integration Programme in West Africa, Rachid Benmessaoud, who led the bank’s delegation on a visit to the governor at the Government House, Edo State, on Thursday, said: “Obaseki has established a flagship effort that has resulted in the Edo Azura Power Plant where he brought the World Bank Group together and we are ready to replicate the model and build more Azura projects in Nigeria and West Africa.”

    He was accompanied on the visit by the Country Manager, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Nigeria Office, Eme Essien; Programme  Leader, Muna Salih Meky; Programme Leader, Kofi Nouve; Lead Procurement Specialist, Bayo Awosemusi; Senior Private Sector Specialist, Feyi Boroffice; Senior Agriculture Economist, Adetunji A. Oredipe; and Senior Operations Officer, John Paul Ngebeh, amongst others.

    Benmessaoud explained that the strong partnership between Edo State Government and the World Bank is highly cherished by his institution, and commended the  insistence of the Obaseki administration on transparency and accountability.

    Read Also: Obaseki rolls out investment windows for agribusiness investors

    “I want to assure the governor that the World Bank will help in addressing the human capital needs by pulling her resources together to support the Edo State government,” he pledged.

    In his response, Obaseki expressed the gratitude of the Edo State government to the World Bank for finding the state a worthy partner in their commitment to bring development to all Edo people and residents.

    He showcased the achievements of the government in agriculture to his guests and said that one of his goals is to replace crude oil with oil palm, as aggressive effort is being made to make Edo State the oil palm hub in the country and beyond.

    He highlighted some of the challenges faced by his government, including illegal migration and human trafficking, explaining that 60 per cent of returnees to Nigeria are from Edo State.

    According to him, “Trafficking is high because the people are very aspirational and are prepared to take the risk of embarking on the dangerous journey. If they can turn such zeal to learning a skill and contribute their quota to development, the nation will be a better place for us all”.

    Obaseki further said that in the state alone, about 3,300 people have returned home after a painful experience in Libya and elsewhere and added that his administration has been reintegrating them  into the society through a bouquet of initiatives including creating jobs, mentoring, technical and vocational education; skill development programme, amongst others.

    Benmassoud’s visit follows the visit of 11 Executive Directors of the Bretton Woods institution, who were in the state for on-the-spot assessment of the bank-sponsored developmental projects in the state, recently.

     

  • LG Polls, APC Congresses demonstrate resolve for participatory democracy- Obaseki

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the successful conduct of the 2018 local government elections, the local and state governments’ congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  in the state, demonstrates his administration’s resolve to deepen democratic culture that allows for popular participation.

    The governor said this when he received the report of the March 2018 local government election from the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), led by its Chairman, Prof. Stanley Orobator, at the Government House, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

    He said the feat was achieved because of the structures put in place to allow for inclusive and participatory democracy, noting that the state chapter of the APC has entrenched a culture of democracy.

    He noted that this was demonstrated during the conduct of the local government election, and the party congresses held in units, wards, local government areas, and at the state level.

    Obaseki noted that aspirants, who passed through the screening at the ward and local government levels had the popular support of their constituencies, adding that this goes to show that the state has successfully entrenched a culture of participatory democracy.

    He explained, “The Party congresses were conducted relying on the endorsements of party members. This accounts for the reason why Edo State is one of the few states where there was no record of violence or any serious appeal against the process. We all agreed that those who were vying for political positions be subjected to scrutiny by their people at the ward level.”

    Obaseki commended members of EDSIEC for successfully conducting the 2018 local government polls, which have been adjudged by observers as one of the most credible in the history of the state.

    “We were able to successfully conduct the election due to your dedication, commitment and level of professionalism put into organising the process,” he noted.

    Earlier, Chairman of EDSIEC, Prof. Stanley Orobato, expressed appreciation to the governor for not interfering in the activities of the commission, which resulted in the success of the election.

    Prof. Orobator hinted the governor that the commission has continued to receive accolades, including an award from Ghana on the successes recorded in the conduct of the 2018 local government polls.