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Tag: Godwin Obaseki

  • Edo beefs up security architecture

    …as Obaseki procures another Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC)

    In furtherance of the drive for a formidable security architecture in the state, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has unveiled a new Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) for the state Police Command.

    The APC is the second procured within one-year period to retool the state’s Police command, amid several other initiatives rolled out to fortify the state’s security architecture.

    Handing over the APC to the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, at the Government House in Benin City, Governor Obaseki said government is determined to secure life and property in the state and will deploy resources at its disposal.

    Obaseki noted, “It is a holistic approach to strengthen security in the state.”

    He noted, “The security architecture will involve equipment like APC, police patrol vehicles, protective gears, other security devices. There will also be training of police personnel and equipping them with motor bikes to fight crime.”

    He explained that in addition to the APC, the state has concluded plans to procure gunboats, helicopters for surveillance, noting,“The APC is one among other equipment we have procured as we fortify the state’s  security architecture due for launch soon.”

    Read Also: Edo State workers are paid as and when due – Govt

    Obaseki said high speedboats would be acquired for the Marine Police, to provide adequate security on the waterways and riverine communities in the state.

    “We have spent lots of resources to ensure our state is safe, as we encourage the people to be part of the security architecture, from intelligence gathering to serving as first responder in the event of any incident. There will be call-centres which will serve as a control centre for people to call-in when they are faced with a security threat.”

    Commissioner of Police, Edo State, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, commended governor Obaseki for his effort in ensuring that the state is safe and secure for all, noting that the newly acquired APC can be deployed to any terrain.

    He noted that adequate arrangements were on ground to ensure that equipment donated to the Police by the governor are maintained, especially the APC.

    Kokumo said, “The first APC donated to the Police by Obaseki has been deployed to King Square in Benin City since November 2017, to check crimes in the area and its environs.”

    According to him, the Police Command will deploy a Police helicopter to patrol the state, adding that through these measures, there will be no hiding place for criminals.

  • Obaseki to fill civil service vacancies with more technical manpower

    …  to prioritise digitalisation

     

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the state government is set to strengthen the civil service with the injection of new blood and more technical manpower through the ongoing recruitment exercise in the service.

    Obaseki disclosed this when he received the 2017 Annual Report from the Chairman, Edo State Civil Service Commission, Princess (Mrs) Ekiuwa Inneh, at the Government House in Benin City on Monday.

    Noting that the state government would continue to prioritise recruitment of skilled hands to beef up the capacity of the civil service to respond to the demands of a fast-changing world, he commended the commission for aligning with the focus, in its latest advertisement to fill vacancies in the service.

    Read Also: Benin River Port: Obaseki tours Edo waterways

    He said the state government is committed to building capacity of civil servants for optimal service delivery, noting that it plans to strengthen relationship with the State Civil Service Commission to train workers in line with modern trends.

    He said plans have been concluded to digitalize the workings of the state civil service, as the deployment of equipment and upgrade of skill sets will allow for improved data analysis and information dissemination within the civil service structure

    Governor Obaseki noted, “We are deploying technology in the State Civil Service to digitalize our human resources data for easy analysis. The state would fill vacant positions in the commission to address the needs of the commission and not on a routine basis.”

    Earlier, Chairman of Edo Civil Service Commission, Princess Ekiuwa Inneh said its staff audit showed that as at December, 31, 2017, the state had 2822 staff comprising 1660 males and 1162 females, noting that there are 11,001 vacancies in the service.

    She expressed optimism that the report would assist government in planning how to move the Civil Service Commission forward.

  • Pension Arrears: Edo commences verification, payment of LG pensioners

    …urges pensioners to report at LGA for screening, payment

     

    Following the approval given by the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, to use the N1.5billion Paris Club refund to liquidate part of the outstanding pension arrears due to local government retirees, all local government pensioners have been asked to report for verification and payment.

    In a statement issued by the Commissioner of Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Jimoh Ijegbai, the state government directed “all local government pensioners to go to the local government where they retired, from Monday, May 7 – Wednesday 9, 2018 with all relevant documents for verification to enable us commence immediate payment of their arrears as approved by the Governor of Edo State.”

    At the 2018 Workers’ Day celebration in Benin City, last Tuesday, Obaseki told workers in the state that he has instructed that all outstanding salaries and pension arrears due to local government staff and pensioners be paid before the end of the year.

    “To ensure that this happens, I have approved that the sum of N1.5billion from the Paris Club refund should be used to liquidate part of the outstanding N2.5billion pension arrears due to local government employees,” the governor said.

    While assuring the workers that the balance will be paid before the end of 2018, he said the goal of his administration “is to ensure that local governments move into the Contributory Pensions Scheme next year, thus putting an end to the pension crises.”

    Noting that extensive reforms have been carried out to make the local governments more responsive to the needs of the people, he said, “We are great full to the Almighty for the very peaceful and successful local government elections. With the new chairpersons and elected officials, we are now poised to change the future and fortune of local government in Nigeria.”

    Obaseki explained that: “We have commenced payment of pension and gratuity arrears as far back as the year 2000. So far, we have paid batches 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41. As we resolve a few lingering problems, other Batches will be paid though I must note that resources are limited.

    “We have meetings with retirees every two weeks and we have an open line of communication to avoid misunderstandings. Our commitment is to make our retirees that have laboured so much for our present and future, feel comfortable.

    “In line with my promise last year to resolve all outstanding pension issues, I have directed that the amount used for paying outstanding pension arrears be doubled by 100 per cent from N100 million monthly to N200million.”

  • Students commence training in rubber institute

    A batch of 48 students of the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi have been posted to the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria, Iyanomo, Edo State, for a three months internship programme, in continuation of efforts to reposition the college by the Godwin Obaseki-led administration.

    Checks at the Institute confirmed that majority of the students have resumed for the training and are expected to get hands-on experience of the different areas of the science and technology of rubber production.

    Director and Programme Leader, Rubber Improvement and Biotechnology Programme at the Institute, Dr. Kenneth Omokhafe, said that the students have been posted to various units at the research facility for training.

    According to him, “We have received the students. They are done with documentation and have been posted to several units here. In fact, some of them have been posted to the field. They are going to get hands-on experience here on the nitty-gritty of rubber research and allied areas.”

    He said the state government was instrumental to the students being posted to the college as agreements had been reached to ensure the institute opens its doors to the students and ensure that they receive comprehensive training on the facility’s area of expertise.

    The students join 90 others who were deployed to Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc and Presco Plc, in a holistic programmebeing implemented by the state government to revamp the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, into a world-class institute.

    Renowned Professor of Agriculture, Prof. Oluwafemi Balogun, is leading the task of the college’s restructuring, which is expected to transform the college into a center of excellence in agricultural training.

    The students would be paid N20,000 monthly stipend during the period of their training by the state government.

    Read Also: Obaseki to revamp College of Agriculture , Edo State Polytechnic

  • Edo recruits 3,600 youths for intelligence gathering

    Edo State Government said it has commenced the recruitment of 3,600 youths across the state to help provide local security intelligence and sustain security of lives and property.

    The 3600 youths to be sourced from the 18 local government areas would be trained by the Nigeria Police Force.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki who stated this while addressing participants of the 2018 Senior Executive Course 40, National Institutes for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, who were on a study tour to the state faulted the centralised security arrangement in the country.

    Governor Obaseki said it does not make sense from a political and economic standpoint.

    Obaseki said the country needs a strong federal police system and allow states as well as local government to have policing arrangements.

    He noted that a central police system could be well equipped and funded so that it can demobilise any of the state or sub-national police systems that may want to cross the line.

    According to him, “We cannot understand and articulate the issue of our security outside our economic and political contexts and I believe that should be the starting point.

    “If we, as a country, do not begin to restructure particularly the economic arrangements and begin to invest a lot more in public growth for the benefit of the country, and if we are not able to begin to achieve a level of economic growth, security will continue to be a major challenge.”

    “The youths will be trained by the Nigerian Police as we have reached an agreement with the hierarchy of the Force to provide the youths world-class community policing training to prepare them to discharge their tasks effectively and help fight crime in the society.”

    “A minimum of 20 young men and women will be recruited from each ward where they reside. The state government would deploy these youths on intelligence gathering which will include supplying relevant authorities with needed information required in the fight against crime in the society,” he added.

    Leader of the Senior Executive Course, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Musa Katsina commended the governor for the progress made in restoring law and order as well as creating conducive environment for investors in the state.

    Katsina noted that crime rate in the country requires the contribution of all, adding “in the past, issues bothering on crime was the business of everyone. Unresolved crimes damage the reputation of law enforcement agencies as well as threaten the country’s internal security framework.”

  • May Day: Obaseki to pensioners: You will not wear black next year

    Aggrieved pensioners in Edo State and Governor Godwin Obaseki on Tuesday engaged in exchange of words over payment of pensions and gratuity.

    The pensioners who wore black to the May Day rally held at the Sports Complex of the University of Benin interrupted Governor Obaseki’s speech as he made effort to explain efforts he had made to settle pension arrears.

    They became more peeved when Governor Obaseki told them to stop collecting money from the opposition party to fight his administration.

    Governor Obaseki informed the pensioners that the opposition party was responsible for their plight because pension and gratuity were not paid as far back as 1997.

    Obaseki said he has instructed the local government councils of to pay all outstanding pensions and salary before the end of the year by releasing the sum of N1.5bn from the Paris Club Refund.

    He noted that by next year, all local government employees would be converted to the contributory pension scheme.

    According to him, “I am not happy that some people are wearing black. I promise you will not wear black next year.

    “My predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had an option to pay only those that retired in his time but he went back to start paying pension from 1997. I made a promise and I will keep my promise.

    “We stand by the truth and we are not afraid particularly by those who destroyed this state. Stop taking money from the opposition to hurt yourself. Our commitment is to make our retirees comfortable.

    “I have increased the money for settlement of pensions to N200m monthly from the initial N100m. We have commenced payment of pension and gratuity arrears as far back as the year 2000. So far, we have paid batches 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41.  As we resolve a few lingering problems, other Batches will be paid though I must note that resources are limited.  We have meetings with retirees every two weeks and we have an open line of communication to avoid misunderstandings.

    Speaking on other issues, Governor Obaseki said he would soon unveil the Edo State Civil Service Training Institute for the training of civil servants and make them relevant to his developmental goals.

    Obaseki said he had not sacked any worker but has reabsorbed retrained and reassigned workers from the moribund Edo Line and Edo Courier Service.

    “Our industrialisation process is designed to create jobs for our teeming youths among other goals.  Hence, projects such as the Edo Industrial Park, Benin River Port, Modular Refinery, upgrade of Benin Airport with Cargo Terminal, the new Shopping malls and many others will provide more jobs for our people.

    “Similarly, with our Edo Jobs programme that has trained about 34,200 persons to become self-reliant or recruited into jobs through our synergy with the private sector, it has become clear that one of the major problems in the past has been the lack of post-graduation preparation for the labour.”

    In his speech, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun urged Governor Obaseki to employ people into the State Public Service tô address depleting workforce in the state.

  • Edo earmarked 200, 000ha for oil palm plantation – Obaseki

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his administration plans to earmark not less than 200,000 hectares of land for organised oil palm plantation to diversify the state’s economy and create jobs for its teeming youth population.

    Obaseki disclosed this during the public presentation and launching of the Nigeria National Interpretation of Round table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in Benin City, Edo State on Wednesday.

    He said, “The goal for the palm oil industry is to have not less than 200,000 hectares of organised oil palm plantation by the end of my administration. We are ready to fulfil our commitment made during the commissioning of the extension II project for Okomu Oil Palm Company, to pioneer the establishment of Oil Palm Council of Nigeria.”

    According to him, the state is committed to the principles of the RSPO, noting, “Adopting the principle is critical in ensuring the achievement of the goal to position the state as the hub of palm oil production in the country. We will develop a master plan to deepen and re-enforce some of the RSPO principles with specific benchmark.”

    He said as part of the state’s plans to ensure RSPO compliance, the state government has partnered with Pro-Forest to audit the forest assets in the state. “We have set-up a technical committee to review the report and work towards establishing a forestry commission for the state,” he said.

    Obaseki commended Okomu Oil Palm Plc. for its collaboration with the state to train fifty students from the College of Agriculture, Iguorhiakhi for a period of three months.

    “The college was closed to allow for a comprehensive revamp. We require support of stakeholders to drive investment, economic growth and wealth creation through agriculture. The support will also assist the state to build a College of Education that will be responsible for providing needed technical manpower for the sector,” he noted.

    Chief Executive Officer, SIAT Group, Gert Vandersmissen, said the oil palm sector in the state, if properly positioned, will be among the most sustainable in the world.

    According to him, “This will be sustainable for large estate development. Oil palm is important as none of its products is a waste. It also has the capacity to create wealth for farmers and serve as a means through which poverty can be reduced.”

    NAN

     

  • Avail your children of immunisation, Obaseki urges parents, guardians

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has called on parents and guardians to ensure their children will participate in this year’s National Immunisation Plus Days ( NIPDs ) Africa Vaccination Week.

    Obaseki, represented by his deputy, Mr Philip Shaibu, made the call in Benin on Friday during the flag-off of the 2018 First Round National Immunisation Week.

    He said that the flag-off ceremony was meant to sensitise the people of the state on the importance of immunising the children against child-killer diseases that were preventable with vaccines.

    The governor said that his government placed high premium on Primary Health Care, saying that it was regrettable to see future leaders suffering from preventable diseases which often led to death.

    Obaseki said that the state had not recorded any case of Polio since 2009.

    He said that he would continue to implement strategies and activities that would ensure that “every child is vaccinated and immunised’’.

    The governor said that his administration would continue to strengthen immunisation activities and would provide a holistic approach to prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases, thereby reducing infant and child morbidity and mortality.

    Earlier, the Edo National Facilitator with World Health Organisation ( WHO ), Mrs Kate Ogiugo, gave an assurance to the state government that no child would be left out.

    She said that every eligible child in the state would be vaccinated.

    Ogiugo appealed to all parents to bring their children for the vaccination, saying that the vaccines were effective and safe for children.

    NAN

  • PDP, Obaseki, bicker over N.5bn Sobe maize farm project

    The People’s Democratic Party and Governor Godwin Obaseki on Tuesday engaged in war of words over allegations by the PDP that the N500m Sobe maize farm was a conduit pipe to loot the state finances.

    Governor Obaseki had in April last year inaugurated 1000 hectares of farmland at the Sobe Farm settlement for the cultivation of maize and the empowerment of 200 agripreneurs.

    The maize farm was cultivated in partnership with the Saro Agrisciences.

    State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, who spoke at a press briefing in Benin City stated that no agripreneurs were given a piece of the farm land as promised by Governor Obaseki.

    Chief Orbih challenged Governor Obaseki to disclose how many tonnes of maize were realized from the farm or how much the state made from the project.

    Orbih noted that the N500m paid to Saro Agrisciences was diverted as nobody benefited from the farm proceed.

    He also cautioned Governor Obaseki against further sale of the state assets.

    The Edo PDP Chairman listed assets already sold by Obaseki to include the Oil Palm Mill, Ubiaja Rice Mill and the Rubber Processing Mill.

    Orbih said plans were on to sell off assets of Edo Line.

    His words, “Government business cannot be managed like a private business. Bringing Saro Agrisciences to come and preside over siphoning of the state fund is unfortunate.

    “The Sobe demonstration farm is a drain pipe to loot the state. No single graduate was engaged in the farm. The state government should show us who benefitted from the scheme.”

    Governor Obaseki who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said his administration does not have any project that drains the resources of the state.

    Obaseki said he has added value to the state’s several investments like the Edo Fertiliser and Chemical plant, development of the Benin Industrial Park, the Gelegele Seaport, training of Edo teachers, reconstruction of Benin Science and Technical College and many others.

    His words, “As a responsible government, it is our duty to keep Edo people abreast of developments in the state. Every item mentioned in the recent address by the Edo PDP, is completely false and has no foundation what so ever in truth.

    “The governor Godwin Obaseki administration is moving so smoothly and delivering all the promises it made to the people. The smooth sail causes the Edo PDP a great deal of unease, discomfiture and discomposure and instead of joining the moving train, they seem resolute about disrupting the process of progress by fabricating lies.

    “The Edo PDP sees the world as they are. They know themselves to be untrustworthy with heavy baggage of graft and so they believe everyone else must be like them.

    “We know Edo people are too sophisticated to be deceived by these feeble lies. They research, verify and compare claims before reaching a conclusion. But as for the Edo PDP, we are not surprised that they cannot prove their claims because they are lies.”

     

  • Edo to revamp college campus to train basic school teachers

    The Edo state Government says it will revamp the Abudu campus of its College of Education in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state for the training of basic education teachers.

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki disclosed this to journalists in Abudu on Tuesday after inspecting the college buildings which were in a dilapidated state.

    Obaseki said his administration has decided to revamp the campus to train a new crop of basic education teachers and qualify them for the new education system in the state.

    “We are here to review the plans and design we have with the contractor so that they can move to site immediately.

    “We have a funding plan for the school because it is a priority and very important to us.

    “We have commenced training of teachers in the basic education sector of the state to help them participate in the new reforms we have introduced to our basic education system.

    Read Also: Obaseki swears-in two Edo High Court justices

    “About 2000 basic education teachers and 300 schools will participate in the pilot phase of the new programme.

    “We intend to have a school that focuses on the training of teachers for our basic education system,” he said.

    Obaseki said that the rehabilitation work at the college would not affect ongoing academic work in the college campus.

    He explained that the state would run the Tayo Akpata University of Education, Ekiadolor and have one College of Education with three different campuses.

    “One of the campuses which is at Abudu will focus on basic education, the Igueben campus will focus on technical and secondary education and the third campus is at Auchi,” he said.

    NAN