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Tag: Edo State

  • Edo State workers are paid as and when due – Govt

    Edo State workers are paid as and when due – Govt

    The Edo State Government has described as “false and misleading” reports that it owes its workers, noting that state employees receive their salaries on or before the 26th of every month.

    In a statement, the state government said no worker in its employ is owed a dime, and this is a testament to the efforts by government to ensure that workers are well motivated for optimal service delivery.

    The state government was reacting to a report that purports that it owes its workers and pensioners 10 months salaries.

    According to the statement, “The state government has ensured that workers are paid as and when due. We are pursuing all-inclusive reforms in the state civil service to ensure that workers deliver optimum service to the people. The payment of their salaries is one of the first steps to achieving this and we have been faithful to that mandate.

    “We have met these obligations right from the previous administration up till now. In Edo State, we prioritise the welfare of workers, both those in active service and even pensioners.”

    Noting that the state has not only met salary obligations but also kept faith with pensioners’ entitlements, the state government said, “We have not only paid salaries, we have also met obligations to pensioners. In fact, we have paid N6.2 billion to both state and local government pensioners from January to September.”

    “So, we are surprised by the publication listing us as one of the states owing pensioners and workers. We believe it does disservice to the good work that the Godwin Obaseki-led administration is doing in Edo State.

     “We adopt prudent strategies to manage resources, allocate scare resource and prioritise the needs of our workers. It will be out of tune to owe workers when we are pushing reforms to improve their workplaces and processes,” the state said.

  • Ijaws will have no inch of Edo land, say Edo traditional rulers

    Ijaws will have no inch of Edo land, say Edo traditional rulers

    Traditional rulers in Edo North and Edo Central Senatorial districts have risen in unison to warn that they would not allow the Ijaws carved out kingdoms out of an inch of Edo land.

    The traditional rulers said they backed the Edo State and Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, in the stopping of the installation of one Godwin Ogunyenbo as the Pere of Olodiama Kingdom in Ovia North east Local government Area of Edo state.

    Speaking on Tuesday at a press briefing, the traditional rulers said the only recognized king in Edo South is the Oba of Bénin and described as abominable attempts by some traditional rulers from Bayelsa and Delta States to install another king in Edo South.

    First Vice Chairman of the Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs and Onojie of Opoji, His Royal Highness (HRH), Ehidiamen Aidonojie 1, urged security agencies to arrest and prosecute all the traditional rulers involved in the attempted coronation.

    His words, “It is misnomer for anybody to say Gelegele is part of Edo, Bayelsa and Delta States. A king from Bayelsa state came to the Oba last time to pay homage that his roots are here and now you see one Pere jumping over Warri to come here and install a king.

    “Our Oba has always welcome people. Late Okotie-Eboh was the Adolor of a Benin Kingdom. What the Pere from Delta and Bayelsa States did is unacceptable. The Portuguese entered Benin through Gelegele and it was the only port in Benin at that time.

    “If the Ijaws had wanted a chief, they would have pleaded with the Oba and he would have created a chieftaincy title for them. There can never be any other Kingdom in Edo South.”

    The Olokpe of Okpe, HRH Oba Idogun said they would not allow anyone or tribe trespass on any part of Edo land.

    His word, “Edo land is a property for the Edo people. We disagree with what the Peres of Bayelsa and Delta states did. We condemned their action.”

    Onojie of Ewu Kingdom, HRH Abdulrasaq Ojeifo, said it would be suicidal for any person to say he is king in Benin Kingdom.

    Ojeifo stated that it was a criminal act for anybody to declare himself king when the only recognized king is the Oba of Benin.

    He warned that the situation might degenerate to chaos and violence in the country if not well tackled.

    “We all know the history of Benin Kingdom. All of us both in Delta, Bayelsa have our roots in this Oba’s Palace. If you allow it to happen now, who knows where it will happen next. The title of Pere is not recognized by law.”

  • Obaseki calls for action to make Nigerian children globally competitive

    Obaseki calls for action to make Nigerian children globally competitive

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said that grooming Nigerian children to compete with their counterparts across the globe, especially arming them with skills and knowledge to meet the peculiar demands of a globalised society would be the best legacy the country can bequeath her children.

    Governor Obaseki said this in commemoration of Universal Children’s Day, marked every November 20, by the United Nations.

    November 20 is important for a couple of reasons in the United Nations System. It is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and on the same date in 1989, the assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

    The governor said that the theme for this year’s celebration, it’s a #kidstakeover, points to the imperative of providing for children opportunities and allowing them the right to express themselves in all sphere of life.

    According to him, “As we mark this day, it is important to understand the delicate situation the child in Nigeria lives. In the nearest future, they would be competing with children who have been exposed to the best of cutting-edge technology. With the world morphing into a global village, it is not impossible to have every kid exposed to same opportunities.”

    “It is with this thinking that we have embarked on a holistic policy reform to reposition the basic education system in Edo State. We do not want our children to compete with their counterparts in Nigeria; we want to make them global citizens,” he said.

    He urged policymakers, teachers, parents and other stakeholders involved in child development to work closely to provide the needed support and incentives for children to realise their full potential.

    He noted, “The place of children in the matrix of development is sacrosanct. We must endeavour to build enduring legacies, not just by erecting structures, but by investing in our young, giving them the opportunity to, tomorrow, have reasons to look back and be grateful that they lived in this country.”

  • World Television Day: Obaseki salutes inventors, counts impact on knowledge industry

    World Television Day: Obaseki salutes inventors, counts impact on knowledge industry

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has commended the inventors of television, who rose to the occasion when industrial revolution displaced traditional means of communication in Europe and America in the 1920s, to attend to the communication need of the time.

    Obaseki said this in commemoration of the United Nations World Television Day, marked on November 21, yearly.

    “Television has impacted positively on humanity with its power to educate, entertain and inform a mass of people simultaneously. The device has been very effective in mobilising and sensitising the populace about government policies and programmes,” he said.

    He added that “beyond the traditional function of television, the device has continued to serve as a veritable tool for educating millions of Nigerians, a trendsetter, an electronic baby-minder and a means for transmitting societal values and re-orientating people.”

    The governor assured that his administration’s resolve to reposition the state-owned Edo Broadcasting Service television, was in recognition of the power of the device in governance through the dissemination of educative and enlightening programmes.

    “EBS will be repositioned to join the elite league of media stations to compete keenly with the big names in the industry in the areas of standards, personnel, equipment, content and in revenue generation,” he said.

    Obaseki said with the new world socio-economic order that has influenced the settlement pattern of people, it would have been impossible for a town crier to move from Benin to Auchi and deliver a message to people at the same time.

    Television, he maintained, does this with ease and even gives feedback, allows phone-in segment for public participation in a programme, which ultimately raises the quality of the conversation.

    In December 1996, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day commemorating the date on which the first World Television Forum was held.

    Read Also:  Obaseki to PDP: You are ignorant on security matters

  • Libya deportee goes into labour in Edo

    Libya deportee goes into labour in Edo

    One of the 16 girls that were on Tuesday deported from Libya with pregnancy has gone into labour.

    The expectant mother simply identified as Nike was rushed to the Benin Central hospital and was yet to deliver as at press time.

    It would be recalled that 169 persons mostly females were received by officials of the Edo State Task Force on Human Trafficking and were lodged at a hotel for possible rehabilitation.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki had earlier promised to train the deportees on any skill of their choice.

    Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice,who is also the chairman of the task force, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, stated that the purpose of rehabilitating the deportees was to eradicate trafficking in persons and stem the illegal migration.

    “If you want to travel, do it legally. We are worried about what the people go through when they decided to travel to Libya illegally,” she said.

    “Government is taking the problem as its own. We are interested in those who will partner with the state government to address the issue.

    “As we have seen, 80 percent of illegal migrants are from Edo State so it has been a big challenge to us.

    “We are trying to assist them and be integrated into the society. Those who want to go back to school would be encouraged to go back while those who need training in skill acquisition would be trained in their chosen skills.”

  • Obaseki to cheer Falconets, as they face Morocco in Benin City

    Obaseki to cheer Falconets, as they face Morocco in Benin City

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki will on Saturday lead residents of Edo State to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, to cheer Nigeria’s U-20 female national football team also known as the Falconets.

    The Falconets will battle the Moroccan girls in the second-leg of the U-20 FIFA Women World Cup Qualifiers on Saturday at 4 pm.

    Commissioner for Youths and Special Duties, also supervising Sports, Hon. Mika Amanokha, who spoke on behalf of the governor, said that Governor Obaseki’s presence at the stadium will give the girls the morale boost to overpower their counterparts.

    He added that necessary arrangements have been made to ensure an incident-free match, stressing that the Super Falconets have no reason not to beat Morocco in Benin City, as Edo State has become a victory ground for Nigerian national teams.

    “We are ready for the game. As you know, Edo State has become a winning ground for Nigerian national teams. This particular match is not going to be different. I am proud to say that the state governor will personally lead members of his executive to the stadium to give maximum support to our girls” he said.

    He added “We are very much committed to ensuring that the Super Falconets win the game to advance to the last stage of the qualifiers. Our goal is to support them to the last. We have to be at the World Cup in France in 2018. We are very confident that we will carry the day. We know that the Moroccans are not a push over, but with the home support, the girls will do us proud.”

  • Obaseki warns Ijaws not to take Edo Govt.’s tolerance for granted

    Obaseki warns Ijaws not to take Edo Govt.’s tolerance for granted

     

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has called on Ijaws of Edo State, not to take the State Government’s tolerance for granted.

    Obaseki who made the call in commemoration of the International Day for Tolerance, marked on November 16, each year, said the state government’s commitment to a free society where people can express themselves freely, must not be taken as grounds for violating the law.

    “We are creating a culture that appreciates human diversity in all its colours for a robust pool of ideas that would drive socio-economic development at an unprecedented speed in Edo State,” he said.

    “To oppose what is cast in law by acts of illegality such as the purported installation of one Godwin Oguyenbo, as the “Pere of Olodiama Kingdom,” an Ijaw community in Ovia North East Local Council Area of the state, is irresponsible enough” he stressed.

    The governor urged the few people behind the plot to beat a retreat in the interest of the majority of Ijaw people of Edo State, who have since expressed their willingness to abide by only laid down laws in the state.

    We are proud of our diversity as a state and our peaceful coexistence, but will not tolerate acts of illegality by any group, who for their selfish desires want to rail-road the peace-loving Ijaw people of Edo State into a criminal aspiration.

    He added that the state government will continue to protect all law abiding indigenes and friends of the state.

    The International Day for Tolerance was set aside by the United Nations in its efforts at strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples. “This imperative lies at the core of the United Nations Charter, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is more important than ever in this era of rising and violent extremism and widening conflicts that are characterised by a fundamental disregard for human life,” the UN said.

  • Ehanire, Izuwa, others call for policies to boost investors’ confidence

    Ehanire, Izuwa, others call for policies to boost investors’ confidence

    To address Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit, government must adopt proactive legislation and ensure transparency in accessing relevant information to boost investors’ confidence.

    This was the submission of stakeholders, at a plenary session on Infrastructural Development Imperatives of Edo Economic Development Agenda, at the Alaghodaro Investment Summit in Benin City, Edo State.

    Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie E. Ehanire, who was a participant at the session, said the federal government intends to build investors’ confidence by strengthening institutions and processes.

    Dr. Ehanire said, “all levels of government should be interested in expanding critical infrastructure by developing legislative frameworks to guarantee investors return on investment. This will enable them to build infrastructure that will fast-track economic growth.”

    The minister urged the Edo state government to ensure the passage of legislative frameworks to open up the space for investment in social infrastructure.

    Executive Director, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Chidi Izuwa, stressed on the need for the state government to collaborate with the federal government in reducing the country’s infrastructural deficit, noting that when it was necessary government should declare a state of emergency on the infrastructure sector.

    He added that state governments cannot address the challenge of infrastructure without a legal framework, stressing the need to ensure discipline and good governance.

    He applauded the initiative of the Edo State Government in implementing the Public Private Partnership (PPP) agency, adding that the move will boost investors’ confidence.

    “The creation of the subnational PPP resource centre will boost investment. It will address the challenge of infrastructure shortfalls in the country,” he added.

    Founding and Managing Partner, Perchstone and Graeys, Osaro Eghobamien spoke on the need for the state government to deal with uncertainty and the culture of kickbacks relating to attracting investors, noting, “information and a roadmap that will enable investors to identify investment opportunities in infrastructure sector in the state should be easily available on various communication platforms.”

    Akiniyemi Osinubi of International Finance Corporation (IFC), called for the creation of regulatory agency and framework to guarantee returns on investment, which is one of the elements considered by investors in the infrastructure sector.

    According to Osinubi “any investor who is coming to invest in infrastructure is on the lookout for structures that will guarantee he or she get returns from projects.”

  • Obaseki’s foreign trips yielded no economic benefit – Edo PDP

    Obaseki’s foreign trips yielded no economic benefit – Edo PDP

    The Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday said Gov. Godwin Obaseki’s several foreign trips since assumption of office on Nov. 12, 2016 had brought no economic benefit to the state.

    The state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, gave the assessment at a news conference in Benin to appraise Obaseki’s one year in office.

    “These foreign trips have had no economic value to the people of the state. These have been wastage of tax payers’ money,” Orbih said.

    He said the business of governance was a serious one, urging Obaseki to address the problems of poverty, poor state of roads, unpaid pension and gratuity and insecurity at home.

    Orbih said the health sector was also in a pitiable state with the ”recently commissioned ultra-modern emergency ward built with billions of naira still empty and desolate”.

    He said it was shameful that a recent report by the Debt Management Office listed Lagos and Edo as the most indebted states in Nigeria, with Edo state foreign debt standing at 213.95 million dollars.

    The state PDP chairman criticised Obaseki for spending huge sums of money on a just-concluded summit to commemorate his one year in office anniversary, describing it as a talk show.

    But in a swift reaction, Mr Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, in a statement, described the PDP as lacking capacity to appreciate the new direction of Obaseki’s administration.

    He said the PDP was only attempting to tarnish the rising profile the state had earned with her lofty programmes, especially the Alaghodaro Investment Summit organised by the APC-led Edo State Government.

    “We wish that the PDP remnant will follow their former members who have evolved from stomach-seeking politics, have come to terms with the new people-oriented governance and have found a place in the APC.

    “It is not surprising to see that the feeble PDP remnants cannot see the benefits of an investment summit that assembled over 5,000 business leaders from across the world in Edo State to discuss the opportunities that abound in our state.

    “These are companies that are investing millions of dollars in Edo State, including the chief executives of BUA Group whose $1billion  three million tonnes cement plant was inaugurated by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo recently in Okpella, Edo State.

    “The President of Dangote Group that is kicking off a $1 billion cement factory in Okpella to expand its cement production in Nigeria, Mahindra Group that is collaborating with the Edo State Government to build the N200billion Benin Industrial Park and Tolaram Group to mention a few.

    “You cannot give what you do not have. The PDP clearly lacks the capacity to see the opportunities in the governor’s investment drive because of his profile as an investment banker.

    “His dexterity is currently on display at the Edo Chemical and Fertiliser Company which was a drainpipe for the PDP to siphon state funds, but is now up and running and producing fertiliser to Edo farmers and Nigerians at large,” he said.

  • PDP donates 200 traffic shelters to Edo traffic agency

    PDP donates 200 traffic shelters to Edo traffic agency

    The People’s Democratic Party in Edo State on Tuesday donated 200 mobile shelters to the revamped Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA).

    It said the donation was because it noticed the suffering officials of the agency go through in controlling traffic in the rain and under the sun.

    State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, said it was sad that Governor Godwin Obaseki failed to provide traffic shelters for the agency.

    Chief Orbih said the party was informed that many of EDSTMA suffered from malaria and other ailments due to exposure to heat and cold in the rain.

    Orbih stated that the traffic shelters would ameliorate their sufferings and ensured that EDSTMA officials are healthy to carry out their duties.

    His words, “We have observed with great concern pains EDSTMA staff are going through. They are always in the sun and in the rain controlling traffic.

    “As part of our contributions, we are donating 200 traffic shelter houses to EDSTMA so that they will no longer suffer under the rain. We are very concern about what they are going through.”

    Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said it was unfortunate that the PDP that caused all the mess being cleared by the APC government is now providing shelter for officials of the EDSTMA.

    He said,  “We want to say that we have received the shelter without thanks to them because we know that the funds used in procuring those items are a fraction of our common patrimony which they plundered with reckless abandon. A dignifying act would be to bring back the looted billions so that the APC can fast-track the development of the state.”