The Edo State government denied yesterday the rumour that over 229 civil servants, including teachers, have been sacked.
The Chairman, Universal Basic Education Board, Stephen Alao, said after visiting some schools: “The Edo State government has not sacked any teacher. There was a group of teachers who had issues after the verification. We asked some of them to strengthen their records.
“They are about 926 teachers involved and we have gotten a lot of feedback from them. We have also asked them to upgrade their records. Many of them have complied. The board is handling it diligently. No teacher has been sacked in Edo State.”
Tag: Edo
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‘We haven’t sacked teachers’
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Edo pulls down buildings for flood control
Edo State Task Force on Illegal Structures and Building Control has demolished some buildings allegedly built on natural water way and flood prone areas at Ugbiyoko community in Egor local government area.
The buildings have already been taken over by flood and their occupants have fled.
Some were also found to be blocking drainage system in the area.
Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Francis Evbuomwan who supervised the exercise said the demolished buildings were illegal and that the state government acquired the place as a green area for flood control.
The Commissioner urged resident in the state to get proper building permits from appropriate authorities before erecting any structures to avoid the structures being demolished.
He however said those with legal documents would be compensated.
Chairman of the Committee, Prince Udo Shaka-Momodu said adequate notices were served on the building occupants before they embarked on the exercise.
He said removal notices have been served on some buildings built under high tension wires on Ekenwan road and a bank along Airport road.
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Assessment: Absentee teachers to face sanction, says Oshiomhole
Teachers in Public Primary and Secondary Schools in Edo State who failed to show up for the Assessment exercise organized by the state government may have their names deleted from the state’s payroll, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said.
Speaking, Wednesday, while receiving the report of the exercise from the Teachers’ Assessment Committee led by Prof Dennis Agbonlahor, former Vice Chancellor, Ambrose Alli University, Oshiomhole said “I can readily tell you is that no teacher will remain in the pay roll of Edo State Government if we have not assessed him and convinced that he is indeed a fit and proper person to be entrusted with the classroom or the particular subject which our pupils are asked to learn.”
He said: “this for us is not politics; it is to stress the essence of governance and prepare our kids for the future for the inevitable role they have to play.
“Flipping through the report it is clear that you did a thorough job, painstakingly analyzing all the issues like elder statesmen and good educationists in spite of the harassment and subtle threat and you remained focused on the assignment and in the end, you have come out with a report that, I believe, will help us to have greater insight into the challenge of managing an efficient and reliable primary and secondary education.
“Even more importantly, you have ideas of what we have to do with the outcome and you gave a set of options. I believe the innocent children whose future is an issue and their parents and guardians, their spirit, their wishes to prepare their children for the future, our God will reward you for helping to advise on how best we can help to protect their future”, he said.
Oshiomhole said “I want to assure you that having generously obliged your time, and courageously carried out this assignment, we will have the political will to deal with all the issues. We are in politics to drive change. I do not think it is enough for someone to say that was how I met it. I want to be remembered for a guy who took the difficult decision and at the end paid the price.
“I like to assure you that once we have started, there is no stopping and no one is going to block us till we get to that point where we are convinced that as government we have done enough to secure the future of the Edo children.
“I will invite you back when we have formed an opinion on what we will do next.”
Earlier, Chairman of the 7-member Assessment Committee, Professor Dennis Agbonlahor said the committee carried out the task and made all the necessary recommendations to ensure that the workforce of teachers in Edo State are properly trained and retrained.
“Those who failed to participate should be made to do so at the next available opportunity. It is in their interest to do so. We thank the government for the opportunity given to us to serve in this capacity,” he said.
Other members of the committee are Prof. Abigail Imogie, Prof Ikponwonse Ogie, Prof Noah Musa, Prof Sunny Omobude-Idiado, Prof Lilian Salami and Prof Austin Osunde.
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Oil spill hit Edo community
Farmlands in Ogugu community, near Okpella, in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo have been destroyed by an oil spill in the area.
Our correspondent who visited the area on Tuesday reports that the spill had also polluted the only river in the area which is the source of water to the residents.
The spill, which was discovered by the residents of the community was caused by a ruptured pipeline from Warri that passed through Ogugu community.
Some of the residents who spoke to Nation said that the oil spill had destroyed crops planted by their farmers.
A palace chief in Ogugu, Alaye Yusuf, said that the community had lost million of naira to the oil spill.
“We discovered the oil spill when our farmers went to the farm and suddenly the whole area was filled with crude oil,’’ he said.
Yusuf said that if the ruptured pipeline was not urgently repaired, it could cause more damage to the farmers and the entire community.
“We are calling on NNPC to immediately effect repairs on the ruptured pipeline so as not to cause more damage to farmers who rely on the river to feed their animal and water their crops,’’ he said .
Officials from the Auchi office of the PPMC arrived the scene to assess the damage done by the ruptured pipeline .
The officials refused to comment on the incident, saying that they were not authorized to speak to the press.
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An Edo teacher’s confession
Some days back, I boycotted a competency test organised by the Edo State government for teachers in its employ. Many of us shunned the test. I don’t know the real reason others avoided the test, but I know why I did and was very glad the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) gave us its backing to hide our inadequacies. The committee headed by Prof Denis Agbolanhor would have unravelled the fraud in me.
Please you need to hear my long story for you to appreciate where I am coming from. It is not that I am pleading for mercy or any of such nonsense. I have gone too far to care about that. Whatever happens to me as a result of my actions, I take as act of God and will not blame anybody for it.
I was born into a polygamous family. My father had ten wives. Our father, who had 22 of us, claimed that his religion and tradition supported his polygamous nature.
Growing up in our home in Auchi was interesting and intriguing. Wives were always engaged in one intrigue or the other to take the slot of the favourite wife. Fights broke up once in a while, but like a born polygamist our father had a way around those things. He fixed them accordingly.
To our father, we were tools he used on his big farms. We, the children and his wives, were the farm hands. Education was not a major agenda for him. He managed to send a few of us to secondary school.
After my secondary education, an uncle brought me to Benin, the Edo State capital. It was in the early days of the state. I was roaming the streets looking for job when a man I met on a primary school field told me teachers were to be recruited for secondary schools. Before I could tell him I was not qualified, he made me know that he was one of the state officials who would pick the successful applicants. He assured me that he was going to fix the neccesary documents for me.
It did not take long before I was issued an appointment letter. All this while I was wondering what the man was after. He told me the day I received my letter of appointment. I must be giving him half of my salary every month. To make sure I did not fail him, we swore an oath and in the last decade he has been taking half of my pay. He is still a big man in government and is actually one of those telling the NUT not to take the competency test.
The other day one of our colleagues was discovered to be incapable of reading well. I dare say there are many like that. Their own category is different from ours. Really, people in that category do not really teach. They are ghost workers if you like. The person that was caught was most likely just hired to come and shop face at the verification centre but was unfortunate to have been pounced on by the governor.
You may wonder how I was able to cope with teaching job despite my inadequacy. The truth is I have not been teaching in the real sense of the word. My godfather makes sure I am always posted to one remote school or the other where teachers really do not bother to impart any knowledge on the pupils. Most of the time I do not even go to school. Over the years, I have managed to acquire some skills to teach some nonsense to the pupils.
You may wonder if I do not have a conscience to be involved in such a scam. Well, my conscience died the day I realised that many of our leaders do not have our interest at heart. So, why should I bother myself? They are thieves and armed robbers rolled into one. We mean nothing to our leaders whose greed is bigger than our needs.
I know that Governor Adams Oshiomhole is sincere. But, I care less. His sincerity will not put food on my table. So, sincerity my foot. As long as the NUT’s backing is there, I will continue to hide under it to get paid for a job I am not qualified for and my godfather will continue to receive his cut.
Nigerian leaders must act with courage, conviction and be decisive to stem the rot in the education sector.
Like Oshiomhole said at the 20th National Economic Summit in Abuja, leadership, I believe, is about courage, about conviction and being able to act. Our political leadership must go back to the basics if cheats like me must begin to see reason to give up our bad acts.
Like Oshiomhole, I believe that the quality of the Nigerian leadership deteriorated from the days of the military. They helped spoilt everything. Misfits like me got in during those era.
Please don’t be deceived by the good English in which this confession is written. Someone helped me out. Of course, at a cost.
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Protests trail non-appointment of Edo NDDC Commissioner
More than three months after the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was inaugurated, the commissioner representing Edo State is yet to be appointed. The state is waiting on President Goodluck Jonathan to send a name to the National Assembly for clearance out of the many names forwarded by interested parties.
Among the many nominees, the names of Henry Okhuarobo and Courage Enofe stand out as it could not be confirmed who the state Peoples Democratic Party nominated.
Okhuarobo was nominated by Governor Adams Oshiomhole while Courage was nominated by four communities of Oben, Iguelaba, Ikobi and Obozogbe-nugu in Orhiomwon local government area.
Oshiomhole picked Okhuarobo because of his performances during his two year tenure at NDDC. Several roads were rehabilitated within Benin City and environs, transformers and water were provided for communities in need in Okhuarobo’s two year tenure.
Okhuarobo, in an interview before the end of his first tenure, said the NDDC has a comprehensive plan to electrify Orhiomnwon and some neighbouring local councils to stop the people of Orhiomnwon from depending on Delta state for electricity.
He said: “But we have put in place some electricity projects that will enable them now generate electricity within. We are already renovating and reactivating all non-functional NDDC electricity project with a cost of N150m.
“We constructed an inter town connection line linking thirteen villages. We are generating power from Sapele road substation to a substation at Ugo. The other half is the sub-station itself at Ugo which is a 30MVA substation which is another project on its own. When completed, it will light up Orhionmwon and even extend power to some part of Uhumwonde and Ikpoba Okhai.”
Courage was picked by the communities to address what the communities termed 41 years exploitation of the communities’ rich mineral resources. The communities houses the largest gas reserve in West Africa and currently has about 60 oil well head.
The delay in the appointment of Edo NDDC commissioner has however led to series of protest from youths and several communities across the state.
A socio-political group, the Edo/Delta Movement for Equity and Progress in a protest letter urged President Goodluck Jonathan to approve the nominee of Governor Oshiomhole since the President confirmed the Delta State Governor nominee, Engr. Tuoyo Omatsuli.
National Coordinator of the group, Victor Aigbe said the president should consider the performances of Okhuarobo within his two years stay at the NDDC board.
Also, on March 6, members of the Edo Youths for Good Governance (EYGG) and other Bini youths stormed the premises of NDDC office in Benin City and sealed it up. This followed the expiration of a two weeks ultimatum the protesters gave to the Presidency to appoint Governor Oshiomhole’s nominee.
The protesters who chased NDDC staffers out of their offices hinged their action on non-appointment of Edo commissioner into NDDC board.
They said the delay was impeding development in oil producing communities in Edo South Senatorial district and warned Senator Ehigie Uzamere to stop playing politics with the Edo NDDC nominee.
Inscriptions on placards carried by the protesters read: “President Jonathan respect Edo people and give us NDDC Rep”, “Uzamere dont destroy NDDC in Edo because of your selfish interest”, “Mr President stop playing PDP politics and resptect Oshiomhole’s nominee”.
Leader of the protesters, Iyamu Osaro, said they want all the stakeholders to reach an accord on the choice of the state NDDC commissioner in order not to destroy the laudable projects embarked upon by NDDC in the state.
“We heard that there is disagreement between Governor Oshiomhole and Senator Uzamere on the issue and that is why the President has not appointed Edo NDDC Commissioner. But our argument is that the Governors of other states were asked to produce the NDDC commissioner in their states why will Mr President listen to a senator who did not know how Oshiomhole made efforts in ensuring that Edo people supported President Jonathan in 2011 and voted for him immensely,” he said.
The four communities are also not left out in the protest frenzy in order to get their son nominated for the NDDC board. They protested in December last and also carried out another protest two weeks ago.
In the first protest that took place in December last year, the communities threatened to stop oil and gas production in their locality.
The second protest saw members of the communities came out in large numbers and shut down the operation of Seplat Petroluem at Oben. Women, chiefs, students joined in the protest march through the streets of Oben to flow stations and oil well heads.
Secretary of Oben Community, Comrade Johnbull Omokaro, said they took to protest because they are craving for their son, Courage, to be appointed into the NDDC board.
He said: “We have not gotten anybody appointed into positions of such nature.”
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Edo to establish university
• Grants autonomy to college
The Edo State government is to establish a new university and upgrade the College of Education, Ekiadolor, to a University of Education.
This was contained in two executive bills sent to the House of Assembly with a letter addressed to the Speaker and signed by Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere on behalf of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
The letter dated March 24 and read by the Clerk of the House urged the lawmakers to consider a bill for a law to make provisions for the establishment of a university and a bill for a law to make provisions for the establishment of a University of Education at Ekiadolor and other matters connected therewith.
The bills were given first reading after the adoption of a motion by Majority Leader Philip Shaibu and seconded by Minority Leader Emma Okoduwa.
The government has granted the College of Agriculture, Agenebode, autonomy to operate as a diploma-awarding institution, subject to the ratification of the House of Assembly.
“It’s true that the governor granted autonomy that the school should operate independently at the State Executive Meeting. The school has operated as a Campus of the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi since 1987 but now, it is a full-fledged college.
“It will now be called Edo State College of Technology, Agenebode. We have a consultant who is on ground to help set it up. The consultant has gone to the school to see the facilities on ground just as they were also at Iguoriakhi.”
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Investor to employ 15,000
An investor, Festrut Conglomerate, is to establish a farm, covering 100 hectares of land at Uzebba, Edo State.
This will provide about 15,000 jobs for the people.
The firm’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Festus Asikhia, announced this when he visited Governor Adams Oshiomhole at the Government House.
Asikhia said: “I have acquired about 100 hectares of land for the take-off of the company. Apart from the farm land, we have come to Edo State to discuss with the governor on building a new Edo City, a city with all the infrastructures, with recreational centre, a city where people can come in and rest.”
He said when completed, the new city will attract investors, thereby increasing government’s revenue through taxes.
Asikhia said similar ventures have been established in Lagos and Abuja.
Oshiomhole said: “In Edo State, we have made substantial investment in both urban and rural areas, investment in roads, urban renewal and drainage control, linking rural communities so that people can go into mechanised farming and businesses.
“So your coming fits well into our vision that the primary purpose of government is to make the rural/urban areas neater, creating infrastructure to attract investment.”
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Two killed in Auchi cult attack
Two persons were reportedly killed in Auchi, Estako West Local Government Area of Edo State, on Sunday.
They were shot in suspected cult-related attacks.
It is not known if the victims were students of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi.
Sources said the victims were killed at Iyekhei quarters. One of the victims, who was identified as Shaka Yesufu, was killed at a bar.
It was gathered he was shot while trying to rescue the hotel manager, who was shot in the hand after the attackers demanded to see the hotel director.
The other victim was shot dead at Alasa Street; others escaped with sinjuries.
Police spokesman Moses Eguavoen said he was yet to be briefed on the matter.
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Life is now beautiful for Edo’s ‘cursed’ communities
For many years, people living in communities, such as l Anenegbette, Udaba, Okpekpe, Imiegba and Imiakubu, in Edo State were told a ‘terrible lie’. The lie was that it was difficult or perhaps impossible to construct access roads to their communities. They were labeled ‘cursed’ for living in areas difficult to attract developmental projects. The people had to accept their fate waiting for a miracle.
For those at Anegbette and environs in Estako Central, their prayers is for the rains not to fall at all because they will be cut-off by flood. The road to their communities was swampy with local two local bridges constructed on two rivers. They usually had to wait for the dry season before they take their dead ones home for burial.
Okpekpe, Imiegba and Imiakubu are located on mountainous terrain. Rich individuals from the communities choose to rather build houses at Auchi, headquarters of Estako West because they could not get to their communities. It was in fact not possible to drive through communities in the three Estako local government areas.
Little wonder the villagers who were returning from farms brought out their drums to celebrate the unscheduled visit of Governor Adams Oshiomhole who was inspecting some completed and on-going road projects across the three local government areas of Etsako West, Etsako East and Etsako Central.
In Estako West, the governor inspected Council Road, Iyofa Road, Okotokwe Road, Iyekhe Road and Jattu-Elele Road. Most of the roads were completed with side drains to help fight erosion in Auchi. Oshiomhole took time to educate the people on why they should not dump debris in the drains.
He told the jubilant crowd that he was in the area to see work progress on the projects, adding, “People can see what we are doing on the major roads but can’t see what we are doing in the villages and traditional areas where there were no roads. We decided that to fight erosion in Auchi, any road we are doing must include drainage so that water can flow in a coordinated manner”.
A woman who gave her name as Aminatu Aliu said they didn’t knew the Okotokwe road could be made accessible.
Governor Oshiomhole was at Etsako East where he inspected the Ayogwiri- Apana-Imiegba-Imiakebu road and the Apana-Okpekpe road. The roads are complete with bridges and water was flowing from one the rocks through which the road cuts through.
The residents of Imiakubu ran out of their houses when they saw the governor’s convoy to welcome him to their community. Women sang songs of praises which the governor danced to.
Zunetu Usman said: “Look at our Imiegba. Our village is now a town. The governor has turn it to London. What we need now is water. You are a good governor and we have not seen a man like. Others said the road was impossible but now it has been done. Our people can now come home without stopping at Auchi.”
A local musician at Imiakubu, who gave his name as Anthony Omokheki, urged the governor to prepare to go Abuja to extend the good work to the rest of the country. He urged the governor to extend the road construction to Okpella, a neighbouring community adding that what they need now is water.
An elated Oshiomhole who directed the construction of a roundabout at the end of the Okpekpe road promised to sink a borehole in Okpekpe so that the people may have access to clean, potable water.
He said: “I came here to assess the extent of work. When we started the road construction, people thought it will not be completed. Any good thing in man’s heart, God has a way of starting and bringing it to an end.
“Today, I am glad that the road project has been completed on schedule. You can see the quality of the road, so by the grace of God, we will bring more development.”
The Onwuwueko of Okpekpe, His Royal Highness Peter Osigbemhe, thanked the Governor for cutting rocks to construct road to their communities.
He said “We are happy that you are in Okpekpe today for the road construction which has been realised and the renovation of schools which is also on–going. We thank you because you have done so well. This road has been a problem for long as past government shied away from constructing it due to the difficult terrain, but you have come and conquered this difficulty and we are indeed grateful to you that we can drive to our homes on smooth, motorable roads.”
At Etsako Central, Oshiomhole inspected the Ugbekpe-Ekperi-Udaba-Anegbete Road said the road was redesigned and reconstructed following the overflow of the River Niger that caused flooding in the area.
Oshiomhole told the people the road was redesigned to withstand flooding.
The Clan Head of Anegbette town, HRH Ogbodaga Yakubu, thanked the Governor for the infrastructural development in Edo North and his effort at alleviating the plight of the rain storm victims in Aniegbette and its environs.
He noted that people of the area are elated that they can drive to their communities and that already a factory has been sited in the community as a result of the good road.