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Tag: Gov. Godwin Obaseki

  • Obaseki appoints 14 permanent secretaries

    Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has approved the appointment of 14 permanent secretaries into the state public service to strengthen the state’s ongoing reforms and deepen sustainable development.

    In a statement signed by the Edo State Head of Service, Isaac Ehiozuwa, the state government said “the swearing in of the Permanent Secretaries is scheduled to hold on Thursday, 16 May, 2019, at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Benin City, at 2:30pm, while guests are to be seated at 1:30pm.”

    The newly appointed permanent secretaries are Dr Irowa Osamwonyi Abiodun William, Mrs Obobairibhojie Helen Edewede, Mrs Okodugha Birgitta Eno, Mr Ighodaro Aghamioghogho David, Mrs Ebhodaghe Ehimwenma Joy, Mr Sede Joses Oghodemhe, Mrs Idehen Dorcas Amenaghawon, Mr Ediagbonya Fidelis.

    Others include: Mr Ufunmwen James Ikponmwosa Oke, Mr Omorowa Peter O., Mrs Eghe-Abe Theresa Irenonsen, Mrs Aigbavboa Aikefe Oloruimen, Mr Okonofua Ekhomeiga Godwin and Mr Edionwe Joel Uhunnoma.

  • EU registers 10,000 cases of irregular migration in 2 months

    EU registers 10,000 cases of irregular migration in 2 months

    The European Union ( EU ), said it had recorded no fewer than 10, 000 cases of irregular migration within the last two months.

    The EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Ketil Karisen, made the disclosure on Monday at the Senate Round-table on Migration and Human Trafficking, holding in Benin, the Edo capital.

    Karisen , who said that EU’s illegal migration registration of the 10,000 took place in 2018, noted that it was recorded between January and February.
    He said that in 2017, EU registered about 187,000 cases, while number of deaths registered so far was 411, as against 116 reordered in 2017.
    He said that of the figure, Nigeria accounts for about 60 per cent, adding that in view of this there was need to correct worrisome error.
    The envoy, who said that the issue of migration and mobility were as old as the existence of man, and should not be an issue for worry.
    He said rather “what should be of worry and concern was the irregular migration and the conditions the victims were being migrated and causes for such migration.

    Karisen said the situation therefore called for urgent, immediate and long term solution to the problems of irregular migration.

    He also said that there was the need for shared responsibilities as well as bringing offenders to justice, adding that there was need to redouble efforts to dialogue on the best possible ways to adressing issue of migration.
    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in his opening remarks, said that the issue of irregular migration and human Trafficking had become the bane of the nation’s existence as Nigeria currently ranked 23rd in EU irregular migration index.

    Saraki said the issue had become a Nigerian disaster reference point as a country, ranked fifth among countries crossing the Mediterranean sea, with an estimated 10, 000 reported to have lost their lives in the process.

    He said the roundtable was to serve as spring board to stem the tide, saying the summit would help identify reasons for irregular migration and human trafficking and profer solution on the way forward.

    The senate president said the government was doing its best to liberate Nigerians from the slave trade going on in Libya as many lives had been lost in the cause of irregular migration, noting that the time was apt to end it.

    He said that there was the need to urgently begin to address the issue as well as work and collaborate with the EU to stem the tide.

    He said that the effort by Edo government was the beginning of many steps that would be taking in bringing the issue and inherent problems to the fore.

    READ ALSO: Human trafficking: Edo plans permanent shelters for returnees

    Saraki expressed confidence that at the end of the summit, decisions such as improved collaborations, and how human trafficking would be stopped, would have been reached.

    He said that the summit would also address issues of how to improve policy legislation, funding to Agency like NAPTIP and how to fast track pending treaties.

    Earlier, Gov Godwin Obaseki of Edo, said that the issue of irregular migration and human trafficking in the country had become critical, noting that its magnitude had never been fully grasped.

    He said the Edo government considered it a variance to the culture and value of the people hence, a taskforce was set up in the state to handle the issue.

    He said the task-force had been working assiduously to achieve its objectives, as it had been receiving returnees, while offenders were being prosecuted with issue of stigmatization taking seriously.

    The two-day summit which was attended by various stakeholders, was organised by the Office of the Senate President.
    Newsmen also reports that dignitaries at the summit include, fellow senators, ministers, security chiefs, representatives from National Human Rights Commission, National Oriented Agency, and the Delta Government.

    NAN

  • Violence against children: Edo moves against culprits, launches Priority Response Plan

    Violence against children: Edo moves against culprits, launches Priority Response Plan

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured that the state’s ‘Priority Response Plan to End Violence Against Children,’ will strengthen measures to check violence against children and protect them from abuse.

    Obaseki who was represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, at the launching of the “Edo State Priority Response Plan to End Violence Against Children (E-VAC),’ in Benin City, noted that such structures were necessary to guarantee children the opportunity to contribute to national development.

    He said the policy, “will check and strengthen legal framework put in place to end violence against children. I am, however, optimistic that with the E-VAC document, individuals who perpetuate any form of violence against children in the state will be prosecuted for the crime.”

    The governor reiterated, “the state will continue to strengthen all legal apparatus put in place to protect children in the state against abuses. We will also make sure that we build a solid foundation to secure the future of our children.

    “We must all explore these legal apparatus: the Family Court, Child Right Act and other Child Protection documents developed to end violence against children.”

    Speaking at the event, wife of the state governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki said, “ending violence against children requires the collaborative effort of all stakeholders. The state government has demonstrated willingness to curb incidences of violence against children, and requires the support of other concerned stakeholders to protect these children.”

    Mrs. Obaseki however, commended the state government and stakeholders for supporting the development of the state E-VAC document, and urged parents to begin to shun practices that expose children to violence.”

    The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Magdalene Ohenhen, said the E-VAC policy document was developed by the state government in response to findings of a national survey conducted by the National Population Commission in 2014.

    Ohenhen said the document, which has input from children, will assist the ministry in addressing cases of neglect, abandonment and all forms of violence against children from persons they ought to feel safe with.

    Speaker, Edo Children’s Parliament, Miss Jacinta Omoregie, commended the state government for bringing relevant stakeholders together to curb the menace, noting, “The campaign to end violence against children requires global action. The E-VAC document would strengthen child protection and welfare in the state.”

  • Chinese firm set to develop Inland Container Depot in Edo

    Chinese firm set to develop Inland Container Depot in Edo

    A Chinese firm, China Harbour Engineering Company (Nig.) Ltd, has indicated its readiness to go into partnership with Atlantique Marine Engineering Services, Edo Inland Container Depot,  known as AMES-Edo ICD on export.

    Mr Jason Wang, who led a seven-man delegation of the firm to the state on the invitation of Edo Government, dropped the hint on Friday in Benin.

    Wang and his team also visited the Gelegele seaport, the operational base of the AMES-Edo Inland Container Depot to assess the work done so far.

    Wang said he was impressed and that his firm would look at possible ways of collaborating and partnering with AMES-Edo to drive the project to its earliest conclusion and begin full operation.

    “We are impressed with the work done here so far. China Harbour Engineerng Company ( Nig.) Ltd will look at possible ways of collaboration to drive the project to its earliest conclusion,” he said.

    He said the team was in the state as a follow up to  Gov. Godwin Obaseki’s business visit to the company in China about three weeks ago where an MOU was signed by the state government and the company to develop the Gelegele Seaport.

    READ ALSO: Gelegele Seaport: China Harbour arrives Benin, commences work on project

    Dr Charles Akhigbe, Chief Executive Officer ( CEO ) of Atlantique Marine and Engineering Services, AMES, the promoters of the AMES-Edo inland container depot, said the organisation was confident that the proposed inland container depot would reduce the cost of export of agricultural produce and increase government’s GDP.

    Akhigbe disclosed that the port was just three steps from final approval for full operations to commence.

    He said  the project would create not less than 3,000 jobs for youths and provide the platform for exchange of knowledge between government and foreign investors.

    He also said that the container depot would emerge as the pioneer full-fledged inland container depot in Southern Nigeria to commence operation and would immediately serve the need of haulage services.

    According to Wang, the company has already commenced negotiation with the Federal Government to build modern railway lines as a primary mode for long distance haulage of cargo, noting that 75 per cent of Nigeria’s total export passed through Edo.

    “Discussion is ongoing with the Nigeria Railway Corporation to use BOT PPP mode to construct 110km short spur line from Agbor to Edo inland container depot.

    “For now the inland container depot will operate 100 per cent by road but in the next 6-10 years, 40 per cent will go by road while 60 per cent will be by rail.

    “The phases one and two of the inland container depot would accommodate 12, 000 units of 40ft TEUs and 8,000 units of 40ft TEUs with a maximum of 25,000 TEUs at any given time,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the Edo Governor on Business Bureau, Mr. Edward Osayande, said the governor was committed to industrialising the state by encouraging public private partnership.

    He said the inland container depot was the central plank of the state government’s effort at creating jobs through industrialisation.

    He also stressed the need to bring the Gelegele Seaport, AMES-Edo inland container depot and Edo Industrial Park together to drive development in the state.

    NAN

  • Obaseki’s foreign trips yielded no economic benefit – Edo PDP

    Obaseki’s foreign trips yielded no economic benefit – Edo PDP

    The Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday said Gov. Godwin Obaseki’s several foreign trips since assumption of office on Nov. 12, 2016 had brought no economic benefit to the state.

    The state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, gave the assessment at a news conference in Benin to appraise Obaseki’s one year in office.

    “These foreign trips have had no economic value to the people of the state. These have been wastage of tax payers’ money,” Orbih said.

    He said the business of governance was a serious one, urging Obaseki to address the problems of poverty, poor state of roads, unpaid pension and gratuity and insecurity at home.

    Orbih said the health sector was also in a pitiable state with the ”recently commissioned ultra-modern emergency ward built with billions of naira still empty and desolate”.

    He said it was shameful that a recent report by the Debt Management Office listed Lagos and Edo as the most indebted states in Nigeria, with Edo state foreign debt standing at 213.95 million dollars.

    The state PDP chairman criticised Obaseki for spending huge sums of money on a just-concluded summit to commemorate his one year in office anniversary, describing it as a talk show.

    But in a swift reaction, Mr Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, in a statement, described the PDP as lacking capacity to appreciate the new direction of Obaseki’s administration.

    He said the PDP was only attempting to tarnish the rising profile the state had earned with her lofty programmes, especially the Alaghodaro Investment Summit organised by the APC-led Edo State Government.

    “We wish that the PDP remnant will follow their former members who have evolved from stomach-seeking politics, have come to terms with the new people-oriented governance and have found a place in the APC.

    “It is not surprising to see that the feeble PDP remnants cannot see the benefits of an investment summit that assembled over 5,000 business leaders from across the world in Edo State to discuss the opportunities that abound in our state.

    “These are companies that are investing millions of dollars in Edo State, including the chief executives of BUA Group whose $1billion  three million tonnes cement plant was inaugurated by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo recently in Okpella, Edo State.

    “The President of Dangote Group that is kicking off a $1 billion cement factory in Okpella to expand its cement production in Nigeria, Mahindra Group that is collaborating with the Edo State Government to build the N200billion Benin Industrial Park and Tolaram Group to mention a few.

    “You cannot give what you do not have. The PDP clearly lacks the capacity to see the opportunities in the governor’s investment drive because of his profile as an investment banker.

    “His dexterity is currently on display at the Edo Chemical and Fertiliser Company which was a drainpipe for the PDP to siphon state funds, but is now up and running and producing fertiliser to Edo farmers and Nigerians at large,” he said.

  • Nigeria at 57: Obaseki approves release of 70 prisoners

    Nigeria at 57: Obaseki approves release of 70 prisoners

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has approved the release of 70 inmates from various prisons across the state as part of activities to mark Nigeria’s 57th independence anniversary.

    Crusoe Osagie, the Special Adviser to Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, said this in a statement he made available to journalists in Benin on Sunday.

    He quoted the governor as saying that the 70 inmates to be released had been in prisons for a considerable time, some of them Obaseki noted had been in such condition for not less than two years without trial.

    Obaseki said that the order for the release of the inmates was a step toward improving the justice delivery system in the state and to reduce the number of awaiting-trial inmates by 50 per cent.

    According to him, the move is also part of the Federal Government’s policy aimed at  de-congesting prisons.

    He, however, stated that the inmates would be ‘’sternly cautioned’’ to stay away from crime before they could be let go.

    According to the governor’s aide, Obaseki also attended church service at the Christ Embassy Zonal Headquarters, Benin to mark the independence anniversary.

    At the occasion, the governor urged Nigerians to be grateful for the opportunity to co-exist peacefully for 57 years.

    The governor said: “We are united as a nation and poised for greatness.

    “As a country, we are endowed, the problem is not Nigeria, we only need to change our attitude as a people and the nation will certainly grow and develop and our people will prosper.”

    He further advised Nigerians to be much more productive to enable them get ahead in the new dispensation, stressing that the era of easy oil money was over.

    Obaseki also called on the leaders in all spheres of society to go back to their communities and organise their people into various activities toward spurring the country to greatness.

    The Head of the church, Pastor Moses Olayemi, called on Nigerians to always have positive thoughts toward the country and themselves, no matter how challenging their circumstances might be.

  • Obaseki allays fears of public servants over promotion examination

    Obaseki allays fears of public servants over promotion examination

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has said that the introduction of promotion examination for public servants in the state was not a scheme to downsize the state workforce.

    Obaseki said that rather, the exercise was to strengthen the capacities of the workers to ensure effective service delivery in the civil service.

    The governor gave the assurance on Wednesday, shortly after an assessment of the ongoing promotion examination for top public servants in the state at Imaguero College, Benin

    He also said the examination was not a competency test as being alleged in some quarters, saying that the workers were competent before their employment into the state service.

    Obaseki explained that his administration introduced promotion examination to discover qualified workers with prerequisite knowledge in certain areas to fill several vacant positions in the service.

    ‘’The examination is not meant to sack anyone and it is not also compulsory but necessary for promotion as those who need to be promoted have to write the examination.

    ‘’If you fail to do the test, then there are no bases to promote you,” he said.

    According to the governor, the outcome of the examination will also help his administration to understand the kind of training and capacities needed to build the public service.

    Speaking about teachers who kicked against the examination, Obaseki said that those in the teaching profession would not be excluded.

    He disclosed that two teachers performed well in the last exercise conducted for level 16 and 17 officers and had been made Permanent Secretaries in the state public service.

    “We want to give everyone the opportunity to participate but if the teachers say they don’t want to be part of the process, no one will force them.

    “But we will not have enough basis to promote the senior colleagues among them,’’ he said.

  • Obaseki swears-in 12 new permanent secretaries

    Obaseki swears-in 12 new permanent secretaries

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has sworn-in 12 new Permanent Secretaries with a charge to abide by their oath of office and shun corruption.

    Addressing the permanent secretaries comprising seven males and five females in Benin on Tuesday, Obaseki described their inauguration as a historic journey to restoring the lost glory of the state civil service.

    According to him, their appointment was based on merit and their high performance in examination conducted by Administrative Staff College of Nigeria.

    “I am urging you all not to disappoint the administration and you can achieve that by giving your best at all times,’’ he said.

    He said the administration would build a strong world class civil service, adding that the onus was on the permanent secretaries to actualize the dream.

    On capacity building, the governor said about 80 computers with internet facility had been provided to train civil servants to function effectively.

    Obaseki, however, warned against acts of corruption, promising to deal with workers found wanting.

    “Such people would not only be dismissed but would be prosecuted,’’ he said.

    Speaking on behalf of the new permanent secretaries, Dr Asogun Izielen pledged their commitment to drive the governor’s vision for the state.

    Those sworn-in include Ms Helen Adesuwa, Mrs Ruth Enoma, Mrs Juliana Olatunji, Mrs Priscillia Aziegbemhin, and Ms Itohan Bazuaye.

    Others are Mr Samuel Agbeirio, Mr Michael Iyekepolor, Rev. Uhunmwagho Obazee, Pastor Christopher Obode, Mr George Igberase and Mr Denis Juwobor.

     

  • Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium will be rebuilt to host international competitions -Obaseki

    Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium will be rebuilt to host international competitions -Obaseki

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Tuesday in Benin said plans were being made to remodel the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin to meet international standards.

    Obaseki made the announcement while receiving executive committee members of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, Edo Council at Government House in Benin.

    The governor said his administration was hopeful of repositioning sports in the state through investment in sports facilities which would then attract global competitions to the state.

    He assured that before the end of the year the state would host at least an international event or competition in the stadium.

    “Our plan is to rebuild facilities in the stadium to host international events which will cut across sports like football, track and field, swimming, lawn tennis and indoor sports.

    “We will improve on what we have as a state and ensure we revive sports to enhance its development in the state and the country at large.’’

    Obaseki also said plans were being made to ensure that every local government area in the state had a sports arena.

    Earlier, the Edo Council Chairman of the union, Julius Erharuyi, had expressed appreciation at the commitment of the Obaseki administration in repositioning sports in the state.

    He also commended the state government for its financial commitment to Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin.

    Erharuyi, however, requested that an institution that will improve the academic knowledge of sportsmen and women be created in the state.

    “There is the need for the provision of more medical facilities, personnel, drugs, computers in the stadium, as well as provision of utility vehicles to convey sports men and women to venues of competitions,’’ he said.

    The union leader added that sports activities should be revived at the Afuze Games Village.

    “We also suggest that the state government should acquire the Etete Indoor Sports Hall from the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports for a more effective usage,’’ he said.

  • Edo Govt. to build clinics, crèches in markets

    Edo Govt. to build clinics, crèches in markets

    Gov Godwin Obaseki of Edo has said that his administration would build functional clinics and crèches in markets in the State.

    Obaseki said this after he made an on-the-spot assessment of facilities at the Oba market in Benin on Friday.

    The governor, displeased with the decayed toilets, non-functional clinics and poor power supply at the market, promised to revive and create such facilities across markets in the state.

    “The provision of clinics in markets will help to take healthcare closer to traders who spend most of their time in the markets.

    “I have seen and inspected a space designed for the clinic in Oba market; I will clean up space and put a primary healthcare clinic to cater for the health needs of traders and their children.

    “I will also establish crèches to allow for proper care of children who accompany their mothers, who are traders to the market,” he said.

    The governor frowned at trading on the streets and walkways saying that it was totally unacceptable to his administration

    He said his administration would investigate why people preferred to trade along walkways and in front of the markets while there were empty stalls inside the markets.

    The governor added that drastic action would be taken to stop the trend.

    Traders at the market commended the governor for the inspection.

    Some of the traders told the governor that street trading in front of the market affected the sales of other traders inside the market negatively.

    They said that there were lots of empty stores on the market but were not occupied due to the high cost being charged.

    The traders appealed to the governor to stop street trading and refurbish facilities in the market.