The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo

  • Flood kills two pupils in Edo

    Residents of Uselu community in Egor local government area on Tuesday protested the death of a six-year old pupil by flood after a heavy downpour which lasted several hours.

    The protesters blocked the busy Uselu-Lagos road with bonfires while motorists were made to take other routes to Ugbowo and the Kings Square.

    Several sign boards of the Edo State Government in the area were pulled down by the angry protesters.

    They said their anger stemmed from the inability of the State Government to send its officials to help find the body of the pupil identified as Segun.

    Leader of the protesters, Mr. Oni Enoma, said the drainage was a death trap and a nightmare to them whenever it rains.

    He said they would leave the streets if the state government began moves to cover to drainage.

    According to him, “A woman and her baby fell into a death trap they call gutter. It was an Hausa man that dragged the woman out but the baby fell inside. but we have not been able to find the body of the boy.

    “We were surprised that nothing has been done by the fire fighters and the state government to find the body. We want the Commissioner of Works to come and cover the drainage or we will not stop this protests. We want them to cover that death trap.

    Another protester who gave his name as Augustine Idahosa said the incident happened at about 2pm on Monday.

    “This is part of the N30bn water storm project. We blocked the road to make the government come and recover the body,” he said.

    Late Segun and his mother whose name was given as Latifat were walking home with

    after school hours when they slipped into an open drainage at the Omosogie junction along Bénin-Uselu road.

    An eye witness who gave his name as Kehinde said it was an Hausa boy scavenging for scraps that saved the woman but her son fell in.

    “I quickly jumped inside the gutter but the boy was already gone. We have searched everywhere but we did not see the body.

    “The boy is scheduled for graduation ceremony to primary one next week”.

    Policemen were on ground to prevent any break down of law and order.

    At Okhoro junction along New Lagos road in Benin City, a three-year old girl was said to have also been swept away by flood.

    Identity of the victim was not available as at press time.

  • Breaking: Robbers kill, set four policemen ablaze in Edo

    Four Policemen attached to the Sabogidda-Ora Police Division have been killed and their corpse set ablaze by suspected armed robbers.

    The incident, according to witnesses, occurred at about 8:30pm on Saturday at the Oke New-Avbiosi Road junction along Uzebba-Ifon Expressway in Owan West local government area.

    Residents in the area watched helplessly as the corpses of the policemen burnt beyond recognition inside the police van they were in.

    It was learnt that the corpses have been taken to a nearby mortuary.

    State Police Commissioner, Babatunde Kokumo, said he would talk on the incident later in the day.

    Details later….

  • NSCDC destroys 16 illegal refineries in Edo

    The Anti-Vandal Unit of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps ( NSCDC ) in Edo State has destroyed 16 illegal refineries in the last six months.

    The State Commandant of the Corps, Makinde Ayinla, disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin.

    Ayinla said the illegal refineries destroyed included eight in Edo South Senatorial district, six in Edo North and two in Edo Central.

    He also said about 350,000 litres of illegally refined and adulterated petroleum product was seized and destroyed by the unit within the period.

    Read Also: NSCDC  rescues 3 abandoned children in Akure

    He said the unit’s Counter Terrorist Unit arrested 14 suspects for phone snatching and armed robbery.

    He further said the Legal Unit secured five convictions, while 23 cases were still pending in courts during the period under review.

    NAN

  • Man arraigned for stealing N330,000 copper

    A 23-year old man identified as Umaru Mohammed has been arraigned before an Oredo Magistrate Court for copper wires worth N330, 000 after vandalising a transformer belonging to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

    Umaru was said to have committed the offense on June 29, 2018, around Ogbe-Ibuya quarters in Bénin City.

    He however pleaded not guilty to the two count charges preferred against him.

    Police Prosecutor, Inspector David Akigbe, informed the court that the offence are punishable under section 516 and section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap Vol. II of the defunct Bendel State laws as applicable in Edo.

    Read Also: Man bags five months imprisonment for stealing motorcycle

    Counsel to the accused, Mr P. A. Ugheoke, applied for bail and for a proof of the evidence to be made available at the next adjourn date.

    Presiding Magistrate V. E. Oyekpen led granted the accused bail to the sum of N50, 000 with a surety in like sum.

    She subsequently adjourned the case to July 31 for hearing.

  • Obaseki: The technocrat on the saddle in Edo adds another year

    Governor Godwin Obaseki’s emergence as the new political leader in Edo State, was the product of a deliberate and intense search for someone who is conversant with the issues of development; inclusive socio-economic growth anchored on industrialisation, and someone who can enthrone a sturdy and sane political order; people-centred and reforms-oriented governance propelled by the Rule of Law.

    Rare as the combination seemed, the lot fell on the investment banker cum politician given his flair for clear-cut strategies in delivering on assigned tasks and a knack for best practice.

    With an illustrious career built in boardrooms and solidified in shopping for Nigeria-bound investments across the globe, Obaseki comes off as the result-focused industrialist, who goes into investment negotiations with clinical finesse, armed to the teeth with raw data and guarantees as well as a deep understanding of the sanctity of contracts.

    A team player

    On assumption of duty, the governor assembled a team of mainly technocrats with clear tasks and performance evaluation framework that will measure periodically, input, output and outcomes.

    Obaseki’s solutions ecosystem

    His close aides attest to his systems approach and orientation to issues and problems, which begins with defining a problem, designing and developing system solutions, with attendant models for evaluation.

    The designed and tested solutions are set in legislation templates and transmitted as bills for enduring laws, to the legislature.

    Development experts contend that the lack of depth and policy short-termism account in part, for policy failures in developing countries.

    Governor Obaseki would rather create a network of related issues to a problem and proffer myriad of sustainable solution options for tackling the problems.

    Creating an ecosystem of sustainable solution options to problems cannot happen in one day, which explains his disposition to engagement with experts and other stakeholders, to ensure everyone is on the same page.

    Alaghodaro investment summit

    Obaseki’s predisposition to development models anchored on well researched ideas gave birth to the first edition of the Alaghodaro Investment Summit, which brought together subject matter experts who converged on Benin City from November 10-12, 2017, to chart a better future for Edo people and residents in the state, with the theme, “Envisioning the Future.”

    The three-day investment summit took the place of a one-year anniversary funfair that would have cost the state millions of naira, at a time the country was struggling to come out of a recession.

    The governor assembled local and international investors and business leaders, bankers, policymakers, lawyers, the academia, industry experts and members of the diplomatic community for a three-day idea incubation session, covering agriculture, manufacturing, culture and tourism, civil service reforms, forest regeneration, education and healthcare.

    A prudent manager of men and resources

    Governor Obaseki took over the reins of power at a time the Nigerian economy was neck-deep in the worst recession the nation has witnessed in decades.

    His expertise in the frugal application of scarce resources was called to task. At a time most states in the country, including the supposed rich states, were owing salaries, the Edo State government under his watch was up to date in salary payment. Civil servants received their salaries regularly before the end of each month.

    From the early days as the Chairman, State Economic Team, under former governor Adams Oshiomhole, Obaseki had developed an acute understanding of the developmental needs of Edo State, perfected which holes to plug for the state’s economic resurgence and when duty called, he wasted no time in providing a clear direction for his team.

    He sounded a note of warning to all government officials, including civil servants, that there would be no room for frivolous spending of the state’s resources.

    Specifically, the governor migrated revenue collection from analogue to digital platform to ensure transparency in the revenue collection process, embarked on the reform of the education, health, sports, justice sectors and began the retooling and retraining of civil servants.

    He has been nicknamed the ‘Wake and See Governor’ by Edo people and residents in the state, who are overwhelmed by the ease with which developmental projects spring up in their neighbourhoods.

    Investment/ industrialisation drive

    From his close study of the state, he understands that the state possessed several strategic assets that make it an investor’s delight.

    He had deployed this skill in brokering for investment for the globally-acclaimed, record-setting 450MW capacity Edo Azura Independent Power Project (IPP), among others.

    More so, the industrialisation plan pursued by the Edo State Government is quite grand and encompasses a wide range of strategically connected projects, namely; the Benin Industrial Park project that will host over 1000 companies; the 1800 housing-unit Emotan Garden project; the Benin River Port in Gelegele, which will serve as the gateway for  evacuating products manufactured in the industrial park; an auto assembly plant; a modular refinery and pockets of innovation hubs that will be scattered across the state, amongst other projects. On completion, these projects will not only see to the rise of the state as an economic hub, but as a cynosure of all those seeking to make an industrial city from what used to be a largely civil servants’ state.

    The most intriguing part of Obaseki’s numerous conceptions, is the nexus between one project and the other. Edo State currently has a community of related projects, in which the main or bye product of one project is useful to the other project (s).

    To illustrate, the 1800 housing-unit Emotan Garden project will source cement, sand, steel, tiles from companies that are located in Edo State. The demand for these building materials will impact positively on the scale of these companies whose managers will hire more Edo youths to produce to scale and meet the demand of the housing estate.

    This interconnection has also been factored into the ongoing repositioning of the colleges of agriculture in the state, which will train young graduates for the numerous large scale farms in the state.

    In same way, the Benin River Port is the link to the international market for companies that will operate from the Benin Industrial Park.

     Education

    The governor’s penchant for technology-driven systems has also found expression in the state’s education sector, where tech-based teaching method has been adopted in public schools.

    The reigning Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) initiative, is winning hearts and minds of Edo people, most of whom have begun withdrawing their wards and pupils from private schools and moving them to public schools where information and communication technology tools such as minicomputers are now being used for teaching.

    Edo-BEST is a basic education reform blueprint that prioritises the deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in teaching, as well as harmonises teaching and learning outcomes across locations and promotes interactive classroom management model, among others.

    Barely 18 months in office as the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has demonstrated that governance is about deep and strategic thinking, as well as the execution of people-centred projects that will enhance their wellbeing.

    Keen watchers of developments in Edo would agree that Governor Obaseki deserves accolades for the clearheaded leadership he has provided in Edo State, amid a very turbulent economy, particularly, as he adds another year today.

    Even though in his modesty, he is the last person to pay attention to accolades and praises, it would almost be a crime against nature to allow this day pass without wishing him a  very happy birthday.

    • Osagie is the Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy to the Edo State Governor.

     

  • EFCC Benin secures nine convictions in 12 months

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Benin Zonal office, said it secured nine convictions for various financial crimes within the last 12 months.

    Mr Mailafia Yakubu, zonal head of the Benin office comprising Edo, Delta and Ondo, disclosed this on Friday at an event to mark the first anniversary of the zonal office.

    Yakubu disclosed that within the period 654 petitions were received, while 557 were found worthy and approved for investigation.

    He explained that 64 petitions were rejected due to various reasons, and that from the approved petitions, nine were forwarded to other zones for logistics reasons.

    Read Also: EFCC arraigns siblings for N50m fraud

    He also said 23 cases were forwarded to the Nigerian Police Force as the matters raised were within the jurisdiction of the Police, while one was forwarded to another sister agency.

    He said 28 cases were pending in court.

    The zonal head further disclosed that a total of N312.561, 585.31 in cash was recovered: N4, 209,097.96 for the Federal Government, N147, 220,600.00 for corporate bodies and N161, 131,887.35 for individuals.

    He also disclosed that the zone secured the forfeiture of a vehicle to the Federal Government, and was in the process of securing the interim forfeiture of two houses and three vessels used for illegal activities.

    He noted that as part of strategic plans to ensure a corrupt free nation, the zone embarked on an aggressive sensitisation and enlightenment campaign in schools.

    The zone had earlier visited two orphanages within Benin, where food items and cash were donated.

    A sensitization for students to be part of the fight against corruption was carried out on secondary school students across Benin on the need to “see something, say something and do something.”

    NAN

  • Edo Govt House shut down

    ACTIVITIES at the Edo State Government House have been temporarily shut down over Saturday’s convention of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Top government officials and party chieftains have relocated to Abuja to support for Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who is contesting for the position of APC national chairman.

    Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, who spoke to reporters before leaving for Abuja, said they temporarily relocated the seat of power from Edo to Abuja to give support to Oshiomhole.

    State APC Chairman Anselm Ojezua said the party need a warrior because it is going for a battle.

    Ojezua said: “You know when you have a good product you really have no much marketing to do. From the onset, I have always maintained the fact that the party needs Comrade because we are at a time when so much has happened in the past four years and by reason of our constitution, this is a good time for us to prepare because next year we are going to elections.

    “The party must radiate trust and confidence of the people. And the best person to occupy that position is a man that already has the trust and confidence of generality of Nigerians. And Comrade is the best person.

    “Therefore, I expect that we have been able to achieve consensus on account of the support that he has been able to acquire across the country.”

     

     

     

  • China awards scholarships to 47 Edo students

    The People’s Republic of China has awarded scholarships to 47 indigenous of Edo studying in universities in the state.

    It said the scholarships was to commemorate the number of years China and Nigeria has enjoyed good diplomatic relations.

    This is just as Governor Godwin Obaseki promised to revive the State Scholarship board for the purpose of awarding scholarships and payment of bursaries to indigent students.

    Institutions that benefitted from the award are Edo University, Iyamho, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and the University of Benin.

    Best students were selected from some departments.

    Ambassador of China to Nigeria, Dr. Zhou Pingjian, who presented the awards to the students, said it was a clear demonstration that China and Nigeria can achieve many things together.

    Read Also:NDDC Resumes Post-Graduate Foreign Scholarship Programme

    Dr. Pingjian described Nigeria and China as a community of a shared future.

    Pingjian stated that there has been a rise in areas of cooperation between both countries since the establishment of diplomatic ties.

    He noted that both countries have achieved remarkable progress which he said was demonstrated during the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2016

    The Chinese Ambassador said both countries have reached consensus to deepen China-Nigeria strategic partnership across board adding that the relationship entered herald a new stage of raid development.

    According to him, “Nigeria and China enjoys a lot of similarities and I couldn’t agree more when people say Nigeria and China share similarities. You can imagine how great it will be if we work more together and take advantage of the population we both have as a country.

    “China diplomatic ties with Nigeria are that of brotherliness especially since the establishment of ties between the two countries in 1971.

    “Again, China diplomatic ties with Africa countries have seen a steady rise, also since the setting up of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), in 2000.

    “In 2000, China trade with Africa was only $10 billion, but today, it is 17 times larger than that figure; similarly, China investment in Africa was only $500 million, but today, it is more than $10 billion investment.

    “FOCAC has become a model in South South Cooperation; we can build a better future and make the difference through a win-win Cooperation.”

    Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor, of the University of Benin, Prof Faraday Orumwense, represented by the Deputy Vice chancellor, (administration), Prof Jacob Ehiorobo, urged the students to study hard.

    He told the students they were selected based on their academic performance.

  • REC: 73,109 PVCs not collected in Edo

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said there are  73,109 Permanent Voter Cards yet to be collected by registered voters in Edo State.

    It said the uncollected PVCs were the remaining of the 78,398 PVCs recorded during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise held between April 22, 2017 and December 30, 2017

    Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner  Emmanuel Alex-Hart, who disclosed this in a chat with reporters, said 5,289 were collected within the period.

    Alex-Hart noted that the about 450,000 PVCs uncollected before the 2016 governorship elections have been transferred to the various local government offices of the commission in the state.

    He listed Ikpoba Okha, Oredo and Egor local government areas as having the highest numbers of uncollected PVCs as at June 11, 2018.

    According to him, Ikpoba-Okha has 16,049, Oredo has 10,072 while Egor has 9,761 uncollected PVCs.

    He urged the media to help sensitise Nigerians on the need to collect their PVCs before the elections.

     

     

  • Education reform: Edo set to commence reconstruction of schools

    …tasks communities to protect renovated schools

    After a successful bid round for the renovation/repairs of schools in Edo State, the state government is set to commence the reconstruction of dilapidated school structures as part of ongoing reforms in the education sector.

    The Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Basic Education/ Acting Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, who made the submission in a chat with Journalists, said that with the bid round for renovations of 230 schools now completed, the government would prioritise certified contractors with good track record for executing durable projects.

    She noted that the renovation work, which includes various levels of repairs and/or overhaul in selected schools, will pave way for a conducive learning environment for primary and secondary school pupils.

    On plans to transform the education sector, she said, “on assumption of office in November 2016, Governor Obaseki ordered an inventory of facilities and the enumeration of the number of primary schools in the state. The schools were categorised into three. Those in grade A are in good condition, those in B need little intervention and schools in grade C require total renovation.”

    “For the first time we have a convergence of policy and practice. With Governor Obaseki’s reform in the sector, SUBEB has been restructured. The Board is no longer just about awarding contracts, infact, we are also focusing on learning outcomes, having a synergy between the learning environment and what is learnt.”

    Noting that there was a need for communities to join forces to protect the schools when they have been renovated, she said, “during ex-governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administration, many schools were repaired, but sadly so many of them have been vandalised and the facilities looted by hoodlums.”

    The Acting SUBEB chairman emphasised that the governor is resolute about securing the understanding and support of communities where schools are located to ensure the schools are not vandalised after the remodeling.