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Tag: Godwin Obaseki

  • Obaseki extols S/South growing confidence in devt. framework

    …highlights Edo State’s gains from China summit

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has extolled the growing confidence of members of the South-South Cooperation framework in their ideals which include partnership on specified development goals.

    Obaseki gave the commendation on the occasion of the celebration of the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, marked on September 12, each year.

    According to the governor, “member states share similar developmental aspirations and goals and it is heart-warming to see the renewed faith in the ideals of the south-south cooperation in our collective drive to unlock our growth potential.”

    He noted that “the recent deals with some Chinese investors at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), to develop the Benin Industrial Park, the Benin River Port, the modular refinery and a Chemical Engineering programme to be situated in a university in Edo State, demonstrate the scope of the South-South cooperation and the opportunities that lie within.”

    He charged member states to close ranks and leverage on the opportunities that lie within the union to change the narrative of countries, south of the equator to that of prosperity.

    Read Also: Obaseki lauds charitable bodies’ work in North East

    “We must see the large population of countries in the south as an opportunity and not a threat or burden. While some countries are looking for ways to address the challenges of an ageing population, we are blessed with a large army of young people that can lead the future if we equip them with in-demand industry skills.”

    Obaseki further harped on huge investment in research and development to address the peculiar health challenges, women’s issues and dearth in technical manpower in some of the member states.

    According to the United Nations, “South-South cooperation is a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and countries of the South that contributes to their national well-being, their national and collective self-reliance and the attainment of internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

    The UN explained that the cooperation is done through a broad framework of collaboration among countries of the South in the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technical domains. Involving two or more developing countries, it can take place on a bilateral, regional, intra-regional or inter-regional basis. Developing countries share knowledge, skills, expertise and resources to meet their development goals through concerted efforts.”

    The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation celebrates the economic, social and political developments made in recent years by regions and countries in the south and highlights UN’s efforts to work on technical cooperation among developing countries.

  • Strike: Edo begins talks with NUT

    Edo State Government has begun talks with the leadership of the National Union of Teachers ( NUT )to avert industrial crisis in the education sector.

    It was learnt that after weeks of break down of talks with some government officials, the NUT leaders will on Monday meet with Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    The NUT had last week Friday issued a fresh seven days ultimatum after the expiration of the 45 days ultimatum earlier issued.

    Reasons adduced by the NUT for threatening strike action include non-payment of subvention to primary and secondary schools in the state, financial implementation of the 2013 to 2015 primary school teachers promotions and implementation of the approved N25,000 minimum wage to all primary school teachers with all the arrears.

    Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, said the state government was doing its best to avert the strike action.

    Dr. Oviawe said Governor Obaseki is the best across the country in terms of providing welfare for primary school teachers.

    She said, “Oshiomhole tried to do some things to lift the schools. We have been in talks with the NUT. Obaseki came in with the mindset to empower primary school teachers. He cleared three years promotion arrears. The Leave Transport Grant that teachers were owed was paid.

    ” The promotion he awarded runs into millions. It is not just promoting them and paying salaries. In some states, teachers are paid half salaries. We have things in place to restore the respect of our teachers. In June, the Governor had lunch with 18 teachers. It was for him to hear directly from the teachers. He heard what is working and what is not working. Edo is far above other states. We want to train teachers first.

    Acting Secretary of the Edo NUT, Moni Mike Modesty- Itua, said Primary and Secondary School heads and their teachers were tired of using their meager salaries to provide instructional materials such as chalk, markers, diaries, registers for teaching and learning in schools.

    Modesty-Itua told newsmen on Monday that the strike action would be inevitable if the state government did not meet their demands.

    He stated that the issues were about improved welfare and good conditions of service for our teachers.

  • Obaseki attracting foreign investment to Edo – Osagie

    … says he hopes Orbih will be a free man to benefit from projects

     

    The Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, has said that the state is on the march towards more prosperity with the recent investment deals signed with Chinese investors in Beijing, China.

    Osagie noted that while the deals further validate the commitment of Obaseki’s administration to industrialise the state, he explained that “on the flip side, the deals in China have dealt a final blow to the lies and falsehood peddled over time, by members of the dying Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

    The governor’s aide said: “After several rounds of engagements with Chinese investors, Edo people received the heart-warming news few days ago, of the successful signing of the investment agreements on all three big ticket investments; the Benin Industrial Park, Benin River Port in Gelegele and the modular refinery projects which were successfully signed in Beijing, China, on the sidelines of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).”

    He added that since the signing of the final investment agreement with the Chinese investors, “Governor Godwin Obaseki, senior officials in his administration and well-meaning Edo people in their millions, residents and friends of the state, have been basking in the euphoria of the prospect of a state on its way to more prosperity.

    “Unfortunately, some elements within the dying Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who have a brush with the law for alleged fraud, may be behind bars when these projects come on stream.”

    Read Also: Obaseki urges behavourial change in anti-corruption fight

    According to Osagie, “At various social gatherings of Edo progressives in the state and in the diaspora, the investment agreements with the Chinese companies have dominated discussions.

    “While torrents of goodwill messages and phone calls are being exchanged across the world by people who believe in our dear state and the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki, many are toasting to what experts describe as an action that will turn Edo State from a landlocked state to one of Nigeria’s gateways to the international market.”

    He explained that “The combined impact of an industrial park, a seaport and a refinery will undo the drag in our socio-economic development, which has held us down for decades.”

    “While we await the congratulatory message of the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the dying Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, on this great feat that will benefit all Edo people, we urge him to salute the Godwin Obaseki-led administration’s triumph in an area – industrialization – where the dying Edo PDP failed abysmally,” he said.

    He assured that “The industrialization of Edo State is a task that the Obaseki administration is committed to and we are reclaiming all the opportunities we missed under the self-serving PDP administration in Edo State.”

    Osagie emphasized that “Never again will Edo people allow charlatans like Dan Orbih, Chris Nehikhare and their co-travellers access to power and reverse our progress.”

    On the fraud allegation case against Orbih, Osagie said: “I wish Chief Dan Orbih a great day in court soon, as he faces justice over his N700 million fraud case and I hope he will be a free man to enjoy the benefits of an industrialized Edo State.”

  • Obaseki lauds charitable bodies’ work in North East

    …support for fight against human trafficking

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has commended the contribution of charitable organisations bringing succour to thousands of displaced people in Nigeria’s North East region, which has been ravaged by insurgency.

    The governor, who said this in commemoration of the International Day of Charity marked on September 5, by the United Nations, lauded the bodies for their roles in crisis and emergency situations and for contributing to deepening development in rural areas.

    He also praised their support and commitment in the fight against human trafficking in the state, arguing that the complementary role of such bodies drives development.

    According to him, “As the world marks the International Day of Charity, I am humbled by the work of charitable bodies in providing support and succor to millions of Nigerians displaced in Nigeria’s North East as well as their support for our campaign against human trafficking.

    Read Also: Obaseki urges behavourial change in anti-corruption fight

    “As a government, we will efficiently manage available resources to bring development to the people. In doing so, we are happy to have supporters with the same vision to lift our people out of poverty and provide them with tools to lead heathier, happier lives.

    “These bodies, which promote volunteerism and philanthropic activities, have helped thousands of people to find their place in life. They have also been instrumental to the fight against irregular migration. Their effort must be commended.”

    The governor stressed that concerted efforts are being made to lift as many people out of poverty with the coming on stream, projects that will industrialise the state and open it up for investment.

    The United Nations Day of Charity is marked on September 5th every year. The day is set aside to recognise the role of philanthropy in the eradication of all forms of poverty and attend to the needs of the most vulnerable people.

  • China varsity okays chemical engineering programme in Edo

    The modular refinery deal signed by the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and representatives of Peiyang Chemical Equipment Company (PCC) in China few days ago, has earned the state a chemical engineering programme.

    The programme to be domiciled in a university in the state, will be run in collaboration with the highly ranked Tianjin University, China, the oldest institution in the Asian country.

    According to Obaseki, “The university programme is an added benefit to the modular refinery deal which final investment agreement was signed few days ago in Beijing.”

    He explained that “The programme will build technical manpower for the oil and gas industry in line with the federal government’s policy on local capacity development in the sector. The idea is to develop technical manpower and set industry standards in the oil and gas sector.”

    Read Also: Edo r-APC members join PDP

    He emphasized that Edo State has a large army of productive and creative young people that would leverage on the learning opportunity that the chemical engineering programme will provide.

    “Our young people will benefit from the world class programme of Tianjin University. Our goal is to equip more of our youths to participate in the new social and economic order we are creating in the state that will run on a solid industrial base. The social and economic opportunities we are providing across the state are increasing by the day and we want to prepare our young ones for the various industries.”

    Tianjin University is the oldest institution of higher education in the modern history of China and the leading research and teaching institute.

    The university was founded in 1895 as Peiyang University. Tianjin University’s 121-year history is the epitome of the progress of modern Chinese higher education, embodying the Chinese people’s indomitability through challenging times.

  • Contractor intensifies work on Benin Technical College revamp

    …hires 12 school leavers

    Work on the revamp of the Government Science and Technical College (GSTC), formerly Benin Technical College, has reached advanced stage as the contractor handling the project pushes to deliver the project on schedule.

    Mr. Giles Omezi, Programme Lead Consultant for the Government Science and Technical College (GSTC) Benin Rehabilitation Programme, told journalists in Benin City, that the classroom buildings inside the GSTC would be completed soon.

    “We are delivering the two buildings in this phase to help the students get out of the old building and learn in a more conducive atmosphere. The next phase is for us to look at the existing college buildings and refurbish them because we have evaluated that it is cheaper to refurbish than to build new ones.

    “We are going to rehabilitate the workshops and some of the workshops will be managed by the private sector; we want our training workshops to be productive and we want the students to learn in a decent environment,” he said, during an inspection tour of the college.

    He explained that the two classroom blocks and staff room being built consist of about 24 rooms and would be ready for use before the end of the year.

    Omezi added that 12 graduates of the college were employed to work with the project team, in line with the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government’s high premium on technical and vocation education.

    “The aim of this administration is to catch them young, equip them with skills and link them to job opportunities so that they can live meaningful lives and impacts the society positively.

    Read Also: Human trafficking: Obaseki lauds EU, Benin Monarch

    “We have an initiative called the Local Employment and Content Framework where we are encouraging beneficiaries of capital expenditure in the state to source for materials locally and employ workers from the state.

    “The graduate employees would resume work on the construction site in the college on Sept. 10 and we hope that they will gain experience and their career will become more tangible.

    He noted that Master Elijah Ikponmwen, a 19-year old graduate of the college who is among the graduate employees has been made a brand ambassador for the GSTC Rehabilitation Programme.

    “We discovered Elijah last year when we commenced the GSTC rehabilitation programme in the college. He was in his final year then and we followed him up. He is inspiring and has the ambition to go further and become a civil engineering,” the consultant said.

  • Obaseki’s battle against irregular migration, receives UK govt support

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki’s all-out fight against modern slavery and irregular migration has received a huge boost from the United Kingdom (UK) Government with the roll-out of a package to protect thousands of vulnerable men, women and children from modern day slavery and unsafe migration through the use of former slaves as myth-busters, among other innovative prevention work.

    The programme will comprise “public information campaigns, awareness raising at schools and universities, and new research.”

    The Obaseki administration has been at the forefront of the fight against the menace, leading a state government-backed effort that has seen the enactment of a law in the state prohibiting trafficking in persons, a taskforce as well as an elaborate reintegration programme for returnees and enlisting the support of the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, among others.

    UK aid, in a statement, said it is “investing a further £6 million in the ‘Stamping Out Slavery’ in Nigeria (SOSIN) programme, taking its total value to £10 million.”

    International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, said: “It is a necessity that we step up and stamp out modern slavery for good. I am appalled that this shameful stain on our global conscience still exists in the 21st Century.

    “I am proud UK support is driving the charge in tackling the root causes of dangerous migration to prevent vulnerable men, women and children from becoming targeted by traffickers or attempting treacherous journeys again. The benefits of this will be far reaching – preventing regional instability and helping us tackle slavery here in the UK.

    Read Also: Obaseki urges behavourial change in anti-corruption fight

    “The package is expected to facilitate deployment of British expertise to “help reduce vulnerabilities to trafficking and unsafe migration through targeted public information campaigns in Edo State. UK government communication specialists will design and lead this in partnership with the Nigerian anti-trafficking police.”

    It will also “boost engagement with young people at schools and universities to change the aspirations of potential victims; commission innovative research on what works to prevent dangerous migration attempts and support NGOs who use former slavery victims to counter false myths that tempt people towards the traffickers.”

    The statement added, “Working in partnership with Edo State, a critical trafficking hotspot, this UK aid will shape scalable, cost-effective interventions that tackle the key drivers of modern slavery and unsafe migration attempts. Changing the aspirations of potential victims and migrants in a targeted and tailored way will be essential to achieving this. This is why UK government communication specialists will design and lead a new public information campaign to do just that, in partnership with the Nigerian anti-trafficking police.”

  • Obaseki urges behavourial change in anti-corruption fight

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has called on Nigerians to have a change of attitude by demanding probity from their leaders if the country is ever going to record meaningful progress in the fight against corruption.

    Obaseki made the submission at the one-day Round table on Behavioural Insights and Policy Making in Nigeria towards the Fight Against Corruption, organised by the African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), in conjunction with the UKAID and ActionAid Nigeria, in Abuja.

    The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Taiwo Akerele, said, “The greatest threat to the elimination of corruption is the weak demand for accountability by the citizens. If the demand is weak, the supply will even be weaker.”

    He called for a change in mechanisms for the elimination of corruption and corrupt practices in Sub-Saharan Africa and noted that his administration has continued to make appreciable progress in the fight against corruption, by strengthening the state’s public procurement institutions.

    Read Also: Obaseki finalises investment with Chinese firms

    He added that the state government has embraced open data and open governance since 2013, and has domesticated the Fiscal Responsibility and the Public Finance Management laws.

    Obaseki said the state publishes contracts worth N10m and above through various media channels and has developed a performance evaluation metrics to ensure value for money in all contracts. He added that Edo State audited financial statement is published within the first quarter after the end of every financial year.

    Obaseki told participants that having the enabling laws and institutions are good and encouraging, but stressed that their objectives would only be realised if citizens work towards changing their behaviour towards corrupt people and embracing only those who are honest and hardworking.

    Participants at the event include civil society groups, members of the academia, development partners, representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), office of the Vice President, Rule of Law Advisor, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), among others.

     

  • Obaseki mobilizes diaspora community against human trafficking

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has called on Edo people in the Diaspora to join forces with his government in the fight against human trafficking, noting that such a synergy is required to rescue the image and future of the people.

    The governor, who made the call in his address at the 27th Edo National Association Worldwide (ENAW) Convention, themed Youth Empowerment, a Necessity for Edo State Development held in Toronto, Canada, called on Edo people in the diaspora to deploy their expertise in developing the state.

    Obaseki, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Chief Osaro Idah, said that the state has “the potential of becoming a high-income economy with the possibility of generating over 200,000 jobs if we embrace necessary structural changes in education and training system, prudent fiscal management, right infrastructural investments and redress our rather lopsided orientation.”

    He said the state government has opened the state up for development which has led to the influx of investors for a number of big-ticket projects being promoted by his administration, which include the Benin River Port, the Benin Industrial Park and Edo Modular Refinery, among others.

    Read Also: Obaseki finalises investment with Chinese firms

    Calling on members of the diaspora community to join the fight against irregular migration and human trafficking, he said, “prolonged indifference or lack of concerted efforts on the part of government to address the challenges of our youths and get them meaningfully engaged on a sustainable basis had snowballed into tales of perilous irregular migration and human trafficking.”

    He said that the state government has curbed the activities of Community Development Associations (CDAs) in order to set the state on the path of progress.

    According to him, “the CDAs were made up of youths who did everything possible to unleash mayhem or any other activity that undermined progress of physical development of the communities they ironically claimed to be developing while unknowingly scaring would-be investors from the state.

    “The fallout from this was the growing rate of armed robbery and kidnapping fueled by unemployment. Thuggery got highly lucrative and elections which were supposed to serve as viable means of political successions lost credibility and pandered to the wishes of abusers and violators.”

    He continued, “With these grave scenarios before us, the concerns could not just be about how to generate the jobs that would engage the youths; solutions should also involve a process of rescuing our society from the stranglehold of such nefarious acts largely perpetuated by the youths – even if it means wielding the big stick.”

  • Education reform: Edo Poly to become hub for innovators – Obaseki

    … hails institution’s synergy with military

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured that Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, formerly Edo State Institute of Technology and Management, will become a hub for world-class innovators, entrepreneurs and employers of labour, with the renewed focus of the institution to link academia and research to industry.

    Obaseki, who said this while declaring open the 2nd Eminent Scholar Lecture series organised by the institution, said that the growing synergy between the Polytechnic and industry is commendable.

    The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Hon. Christopher Adesotu, noted that the Polytechnic will produce students that would be employable after graduation and provide solutions to day-to-day challenges.

    He said, “The students would be trained to be employable and also employers of labour. As such, we will put all necessary facilities for efficient learning to make them innovators.”

    He said the theme for the Lecture series, Security challenges and the Implications on National Development in Nigeria: Engineering Technology Perspective, was apt as Nigeria seeks solutions to her security challenges.

    Obaseki said his administration is committed to providing solutions to challenges in the 21st century world, adding, “We shall spare no effort to build stronger ties with our institutions such as Edo State Polytechnic, to create solutions to security challenges.

    “My administration is keen on delivering our transformation through building local workforce and we are depending on the Polytechnic as one of the institutions to equip students with skills to drive development in the state.”

    Guest Lecturer for the 2nd lecture series, Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Auchi, Brig. Gen. Dickson Ehiorobo, reiterated the place of engineering equipment and technology in addressing security challenges.

    Read Also: Obaseki charges ‘Not-too-Young-to-Lead’ campaigners on entrepreneurship

    “This is an opportunity to sensitise the students, researchers, engineers, technologists and others involved in designing and carrying out research on military equipment on the need for a synergy to professing solutions to security challenges,” Ehiorobo added.

    Chairman, Ovia South West Local Government Area, Hon. Destiny Enabulele, commended Governor Obaseki and the management of Edo State Polytechnic for organising the lecture, noting that the council will work with the institution in line with the vision of the new management to transform it to a world-class institution.

    Rector, Edo State Polytechnic, Prof. Abiodun Falodun, said the lecture was organised to stimulate academic discourse, noting that the partnership will metamorphose into a stronger collaborative relationship between Edo State Polytechnic and the Nigerian military.

    He added, “Our students now have full access in placement for industrial training and we have an exchange programme of staff between Edo State Polytechnic and the military.”