The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo

  • Edo commits N100m to deepen basic health care reforms

    The Edo State Government has committed N100 million as counterpart fund for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), to provide responsive, efficient and accessible health care through Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs).

    This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. David Osifo, at a workshop on Health Workforce Registry, held in Edo State.

    The commissioner said the contribution is to enable the state government fully benefit from the BHCPF of the federal government.

    He explained that the Edo State House of Assembly has passed Health Insurance Bill into law, to pave the way for the smooth running of the fund, even as other provisions for the take-off of the state insurance scheme take shape.

    The BHCPF is the fundamental funding provision under the National Health Act, signed in 2014.

    States are expected to benefit from the Fund when they meet the requisite criteria, which includes contributing the counterpart fund.

    To ensure sustainability and ownership of the BHCPF, the states are expected to co-fund the BHCPF, beginning with an initial N100 million as part-expression of interest to implement the BHCPF.

    The states are also required to create state health insurance agencies and state primary health care development boards to serve as channels through which implementation would be monitored.

    Recall that Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, recently inaugurated a 17-member Edo State Primary Health Care Board, to deepen the revamp of the state’s primary health care system.

    He charged members of the board to support the vision of his administration in delivering quality and affordable health care to the people.

  • Edo assembly condemns murder of four policemen in Afuze

    The Edo House of Assembly on Monday condemned the gruesome murder of four policemen in Afuze, Owan East Local Government Area of the state.

    The four deceased policemen are: Mr Ojo Kosemani (DPO), Insp. Isaac Sadoh, Sgt Justina Aghomon and Glory David.

    Mr. Foly Ogedengbe, (APC-Owan East) who brought up the incident under matter of urgent public importance, called on members of the National Assembly to prevail on the president to adequately fund the police force.

    The motion was seconded by Mr Henry Okhurabo, (APC Ikpoba-Okha)

    Moving the motion, Ogedengbe said it is the duty of government to protect the lives and property of the citizens adding that the constitution guaranteed the right to life of all persons in Nigeria.

    READ ALSO: I don’t want to die in prison, ex-policeman begs Court

    “It will be recalled that in July 2018, four police officers were gruesomely killed and burnt in their official Hilux van in Oke-Ora in Owan West Local Government Area of the state.

    “The security situation in the state is becoming worrisome. The police who are saddled with the responsibility of providing security are now at the receiving end,” he said.

    Ogedengbe also called on the state government to beef up security in Owan East and other local government areas to forestall a re-occurrence of the heinous and dastardly act.

    Other lawmakers also condemned the dastardly act and called on the state government to take urgent steps to rehabilitate the vandalised police station at Afuze to ensure effective security service delivery.

    NAN recalled that unidentified gunmen had on March 12, killed four policemen including the DPO in Afuze Police station.

  • Polls: Don’t blame me for APC loss in Edo, says Airhiavbere

    A former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, General Charles Airhiavbere, has said that he should not be blamed for the party’s performance in the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Edo South senatorial district.

    General Airhiavbere who was reacting to his suspension from the ruling APC said he was not the only leader that lost his Ward during the elections.

    Airhiavbere said Governor Godwin Obaseki is part of the Ward.

    Describing his purported suspension as a nullity, Airhiavbere said the battle line for next year’s governorship election has been drawn.

    According to him, “There are procedures for doing that. Is it a coup plotting system? I’m a retired General, I am a leader and there should be some measure of respect. Am I the only person who lost his ward during the election? The governor is part of the ward, there are other leaders too and I am a member of the Presidential Campaign Council mandated with the security of votes during the election.

    “My only conclusion is that I have been identified ahead of the 2020 election. They shouldn’t heat up the polity, it is too early. If they already see me as a contestant, there is a procedure that they should go about it but that wouldn’t stop me from contesting.

    “The battle line has been drawn. I can’t be held responsible for the abysmal failure of the leadership. I wasn’t the DG of the campaign so why am I being singled out if not for the fact that I am already being identified. I contested against the governor in 2016 and I will contest again. President Buhari contested four times and he won. All these can’t stop me from contesting.”

  • APC suspends General Airhiavbere

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Ward 01 Oredo local government area has suspended General Charles Airhiavbere for alleged anti-party activities during the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    General Airhiavbere who was the APC governorship aspirant in 2016 was suspended at an enlarged meeting of the party where the report of a panel set up to investigate him was upheld.

    Among the allegations against General Airhiavbere were that he deliberately withheld tags and other party tools meant for agents and APC faithful thereby hindering their work during the elections.

    They also accused Airhiavbere of openly canvassing votes for the PDP.

    Read Also:  PDP to APC: our party’ll win all supplementary polls

    According to the statement signed by APC Ward 01 executives, “Based on General Airhiavbere unpardonable actions against the APC and coupled with hard evidence against him, we, the executive of Oredo Ward 01 moved a vote of no confidence on Gen. Airhiavbere.

    “He is thereby suspended from the APC with immediate effect.”

    General Airhiavbere in his reaction said the suspension was a ploy to stop him from contesting for the APC ticket against Governor Obaseki.

    Airhiavbere insisted that he would still contest for the governorship under the APC.

    He said he was not the only part chieftain in the state that lost in his polling unit and ward and local government.

  • Edo: Gunmen attack Police Station, kill DPO, three officers

    Gunmen have attacked the Divisional Police Command at Afuze, headquarters of  the Owan-East Local Government Area of Edo, killing the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and three other officers on duty.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the hoodlums also attacked the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the town, and destroyed electoral materials and burning down a police van in the compound.

    The officers killed in the attack were: Supt. Tosimani Ojo, the DPO of the station; Sgt. Justina Aghomon, a pregnant woman, Insp. Sado Isaac and Cpl. Glory David.

    READ ALSO: ‘Police needs to redouble its efforts to curb rising crime rate’

    A witness, Mr Godwin Ikpekhia, told NAN on Wednesday that the incident occurred at about 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, while many of the officers in the division had gone on outside duties.

    “We only heard gunshots and nobody knew what actually happened until Wednesday morning.

    “The divisional police officer, alongside three other officers who were on duty were killed on the spot, inside the building.

    “The hoodlums didn’t just stop at that; they went to the INEC office and were shooting sporadically at policemen who were on duty there.

    “Election materials and a police van at the INEC office were burnt by the hoodlums,’’ he said.

    The Edo Commissioner of Police, Mr Muhammed Danmallam, who visited the scene, said that investigation would commence immediately.

    Danmallam vowed that those responsible for the attacks will be brought to book.

    “Urgent steps will be taken to curb the increasing cases of criminality in the Owan axis of the state,’’ he said.

    NAN recalls that the attacks on officers and men of the Nigeria Police have become quite unusual in the Owan area.

    On July 14, last year, four police officers were killed at a checkpoint in the area and burnt inside their Hilux Patrol van.

    Also on Jan. 23, this year, the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate for Owan-West, Mr Ohio Ezomo, was kidnapped, while his orderly was killed on the spot.

    NAN

  • Obaseki’s reforms: Facebook, MainOne to invest in Edo, says Opeke

    The Chief Executive Officer of MainOne Cable Company, Funke Opeke, has said that the investment by Facebook and MainOne in broadband network infrastructure in Edo State is as a result of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s ease of doing business reforms and commitment to boosting productivity through technology.

    Opeke, who disclosed this in an interview with journalists, said that the project in Edo is part of Facebook’s mission to connect people around the world via the internet.

    MainOne has been laying fibre cables across the state since November last year, in what is seen as a major step to firm up the state’s burgeoning technology ecosystem, after the launch of the Edo Innovation Hub.

    READ ALSO: Obaseki’s reform: Edo tours forest reserves, decries degradation

    Noting that the investment is part of the 750km open-access fibre infrastructure in Nigeria implemented with MainOne, she said, “The overarching focus for Facebook is improving internet connectivity and empowering partner operators such as MainOne with the tools to build networks to connect more people.

    “With our partnership with Facebook, we have invested in building new infrastructure in states like Ogun and Edo that is open-access and can be used by all operators. You may recall that the major challenge impeding broadband proliferation in Nigeria is the limited access to distribution   infrastructure   to   get the abundant internet capacity available in submarine cables on the Nigerian shoreline in Lagos to the hinterland.”

    She said that the leadership in Edo State prioritises technology development, which is why the project was able to scale through in the state.

    According to her, “Our work brings our team in contact with the leadership in many of the states.  These particular states have leadership that is promoting the development of technology ecosystems and job creation in their states.  When we had the opportunity to engage and share with them our capabilities    and    accomplishments  on  previous  projects  in  places  such  as  the  deployment  of fibre infrastructure for Silicon Yaba  with  CCHub,  the  deployment   of   Express   Wi-Fi   with   Tizeti  in  Lagos  as  well  as  our aspirations for pervasive broadband   everywhere   in   Nigeria, they  welcomed  us  to  build  infrastructure in their states.

    “The Edo State government has prioritised technology as one of the cardinal pillars of the ongoing reform agenda in the state, introducing ICT-compliant pedagogy in primary schools; building the Edo Innovation Hub, where school leavers and graduates undergo beginner and advanced training in technology, as well as revamping technical education to increase productivity. The duo of Governors Godwin Obaseki and Ibikunle Amosun have identified ICT as critical  themes for the transformation of their states and have been supportive of our fibre expansions.”

  • 2020 NSF: Obaseki explores more centres to host games

    ..as National Council of Sports meets in Edo

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the state government would explore more sporting centres across the state as venues for sporting activities during the 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) that will be hosted by the state.

    Obaseki disclosed this while on inspection of re-modelling work at the Government Science and Technical College (GSTC), formerly known as Benin Technical College, in Benin City.

    He said “I am going to inspect what the school has in its sporting arena. We are hosting the National Sports Festival in 2020 and we need venues for the events, so we want to see if we can rebuild the swimming pool here, the lawn tennis court and even the race tracks.”

    Meanwhile, the National Council on Sports is holding a week-long extraordinary meeting in Benin City, the first since Edo State was given the hosting right for the 2020 National Sports Festival.

    Checks revealed that top on the agenda of the meeting is the review of the 19th National Sports Festival hosted in Abuja, status of Beach Volleyball, zonal eliminations for team sports, sports for the next festival and medical guidelines.

    Other issues expected to be discussed include the proposed date for the 20th National Sports Festival and inspection of facilities.

    Recall that after Edo was given the right to host the 2020 edition of the sports fiesta, Governor Obaseki assured “that the confidence reposed in us would be justified. The sports community will have no cause to regret this momentous decision that has been taken for Edo State to host the next edition of the National Sports Festival.”

  • APC set to win 23 seats in Edo

    The All Progressives Congress in Edo State is in clear lead to take majority of the 24 available seats in the State House of Assembly.

    Results from various wards across the state put the APC ahead while the Peoples Democratic Party lagged behind.

    In 2015, the APC won 21 seats while the PDP won three seats.

    The results declared so far are far cry from the results of the February 23rd Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

    In some areas monitored by our reporter, there were low voters turnout while voters came out in large numbers in some localities.

    At Fugar, headquarters of Estako Central local government, materials arrived at 7:45am and voting started at 8am.

    Hon Johnson Oghuma, the lawmaker representing Estako Central in the House of Representatives who voted at Unit six Ward two told reporters he expected large turnout of voters.

    From the results collated from the polling units as at the time of filing this report, it was gathered that the APC will win 23 seats while the PDP may win only one seat in Esan North East Constituency one.

  • Oshiomhole concern over disruption of polls in Edo

    The National Chairman of  the All Progressives Congress (APC),  Mr  Adams Oshiomhole has expressed concern over alleged invasion of some polling units by suspected thugs in Edo.

    The polling units,  according to him are at Uluoke and Ogbido both in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

    Oshiomhole disclosed this shorty after casting his vote at about 2:20pm in his polling Unit 1, Ward 10 in Iyamoh in Etsako West Local Government Area on Saturday.

    He alledged that leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) brought thugs to distrupt the voting process in the area, adding that security officers had to restore normalcy before voting could continue.

    “we have some few reported incidents. you know last week it was clear that the whole of this area was 99 per cent APC.

    “” So I believe PDP leaders sent thugs to cause distruption in the next vilage where we got 99 per cent during last elections.

    “They brought thugs and they started shooting to distrupt the process, unfortunately, the people are determined to vote, and  I understand that voting has resumed.

    “PDP leaders led the thugs to distrupt election at Uluoke and Ogbido with the same partern trying to cart away election materials again.

    “But the youths in the area stopped  them, I understand that the situation is under control in those locations, ” he said.

    The national chairman said there was need for the military to be involved in election monitoring due to frequent snatching of ballot boxes and distruption of election processes by political thugs.

    “That is why when some people are talking against or disputing the idea of deploying the military for elections, only enemies of democracy and enemies of peace will support that kind of campaign.

    “Imagine when just  two police men not armed in a polling unit, what can they do when thugs invade the polling centres with sophisticated weapons, they will watch helplessly.

    “If not that we have the army that are on patrol, things would have gotten out of hands.

    He, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  for a peaceful process, adding that the commission did a perfect arrangement in ensuring that the was hitch-free.

  • APC wins more polling units in Edo

    The All Progressives Congress in Edo State has won in polling units where results have been announced.

    In Unit 3 Ward one Esan South East local government, the polling unit of Hon Victor Eboigbe, the APC had 193 votes while the PDP scored 25 votes.

    At Aruokho in Owan East local government, the APC scored 133 votes to the PDP 64 votes in Unit 2 Ward 7.

    The APC had 232 votes at Uvbe Primary school Unit 8 Ward 10

    At the Itohan Centre, Ward 6, Ikpoba-Okha local government, the following results were recorded:

    Unit 33 – APC 58, PDP 19

    Unit 34 – APC 45, PDP 19

    Unit 35 – APC 35, PDP 25

    Unit 36 – APC 64, PDP 27

    Unit 37 – APC 44, PDP 19

    Unit 38 – APC 32, PDP 13

    At Ikakumo Ward six in Akoko-Edo local government area where Speaker Kabiru Adojoto voted the results were:

    Unit 14

    APC -443

    PDP-36

    Unit 15

    APC-430

    PDP-9

    In Unit one Ward one Oredo local government

    APC-54

    PDP-26

    Unit two Ward one Oredo local government

    APC -42

    PDP-22

    Unit 17 Ward two Oredo

    APC-64

    PDP-35