The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Governor Godwin Obaseki

  • Oil communities hail Obaseki for new focus of EDSOGPADEC

    …tech-based education, industrialisation, job creation receive priority attention

     

    Communities in the oil-producing local government areas of Edo State, comprising Orhionmwon, Ikpoba-Okha and Ovia North-East have praised Governor Godwin Obaseki for providing a new direction for the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC), which resulted in the approval of funds for industrialisation and education projects in their communities.

    The projects include the Edo Modular Refinery in Ikpoba-Okha and the roll-out of the Edo Basic Education Transformation Programme (Edo-BEST) in the three local councils.

    Read Also:Flooding: Obaseki assesses impact, distributes relief materials

    A cross-section of youths in the communities said that the roll-out of the Edo-BEST programme and the construction of the modular refinery will set the state and the local governments, in particular, on the path of progress, as it will not only develop human capital but create an enabling environment for sustainable development.

    Mr. Efosa Osaigbovo, an indigene of Ikpoba-Okha, said that the refinery project will breathe a new life to the local government and build the capacity of the people to be able to benefit from their God-given resources.

    “I am most excited with the governor’s approval because it will bring development to this local government. It will also afford youths the opportunity to develop skills for sustenance,” he added.

    Barrister Ese Oviasuyi, from Ovia North-East, said that the investment in the children will go a long way in ensuring that they are well equipped to face the realities of the 21st century as they will be able to compete with their mates from any part of the world.

    “The use of technology in our classrooms will change the lives of the children forever. This is why I applaud the decision of the governor in approving the full rollout. I am certain that everyone from the three local councils that will benefit from this will one day in the future look back and thank Governor Godwin Obaseki for this move.”

    With the Edo-BEST programme, the state government intends to revolutionise the basic education sub-sector and make it the envy of all, with high premium on continuous capacity building for improved productivity in the classroom.

    The governor approved that the roll-out programme be funded by the EDSOGPADEC, with the sum of N951,594,420.00, to cover the cost of providing top-of-the-range basic education for 62,074 children in all primary schools in the three local councils. These include the initial 11,530 children who benefitted from the pilot phase and the incoming 50, 544 pupils, who will come on onboard in the full roll-out.

    An initiative of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration, the Edo-BEST programme will “develop a highly-skilled teaching workforce by training, supporting and motivating Edo State teachers to succeed in the classroom of tomorrow; enhance the Edo State Basic Education curriculum thereby empowering our children to compete effectively in the world of work.”

    Similarly, Governor Obaseki, at a recent weekly EXCO meeting, approved the release of N700 million to be pooled from EDSOGPADEC, as redeemable preference shares (investment) in the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited.

    According to him, “the company will be involved in the production of petroleum and petrochemical products and other related businesses. The venture will enhance the local refining capacity, thereby increasing the volume of naphtha, kerosene, diesel and residual fuel oil products available in Edo State.”

  • Edo Poly trains staff on Open Distance Flexible Learning programme

    Efforts by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration to improve access to Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) in the state has gained additional boost as the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, (formerly Edo State Institute of Technology and Management) has concluded training of its staff in preparation for the commencement of Nigeria’s first Open Distance Flexible Learning (ODFL) Programme.

    In a welcome address during the opening of the mandatory 3-day workshop for all academic and selected non-academic staff of the institution, Rector, Edo State Polytechnic, Prof. Abiodun Falodun, noted that the objective of the programme is to increase access to Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) to indigenes and residents in the state and environs.

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    The 3-day mandatory workshop was organised by management of the polytechnic in partnership with a Tertiary Education Information Technology (IT) consultant, Concept De La Paix, to facilitate the commencement of the ODFL programme.

    Prof. Falodun said that the programme will improve the visibility of the polytechnic globally, allow for the internationalisation of learning opportunities and improve access to global resources and experts through Information Communication Technology (ICT).

    He noted, “Edo State Polytechnic will be the first to float the programme. At the conclusion of the workshop, Edo Polytechnic intends to mount its Online Distance Flexible Learning Programme within the next six months.”

    Prof.  Falodun noted that the institution will commence the first phase of the programme with Public Administration while other courses to be added will include: Accountancy, Business Administration and Computer Science.

    In a lecture entitled: “Understanding Open Distance Learning (ODL) Mode,” Prof.  Bayo Okunade of the University of Ibadan, noted that ODL is a system that allows students’ access to ICT, providing a platform where learners and facilitators are separated by physical distance and technology with face-to-face communication deployed to bridge the gap.

    He urged the management of the institution to ensure that staff members, who are engaged in the programme, are well motivated to encourage them deliver effective service and improve their output.

    In his lecture entitled, “Categorical Imperative for ODL Policy for Learners,” Dr. Steve Lafenwa, of the University of Ibadan, said that for ODL to be successful there must be a flexible policy for learners, noting “flexibility in ODL learning programme does not restrict learners on the number of courses to be taken in a semester because it allows them to learn at their pace.”

    Lafenwa said for effective delivery of ODL, three key ingredients must be present which includes passion, technology and support services, adding, “Support services make the passion and technology relevant in ODL effective.”

    Head, Pharmaceutical Technology Department of the institution, Mr.  Edobor Ekugum, a participant at the workshop, commended the visionary leadership of Governor Obaseki to turn around the narrative of the educational sector in the state.

    Another participant at the workshop, Head, Marketing Department, Mrs. Omo-Amen Lydia, expressed appreciation to Prof.  Falodun for his effort to place the institution on the global map with the ODFL programme, noting that the effort will assist in broadening the scope of the institution towards development.

  • Edo donates relief materials to communities affected by windstorm 

    Edo State Government has donated relief materials to communities affected by windstorm in Esan West and Owan West local government areas of the state.

    The Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Special Duties, Hon. Yakubu Gowon, handed over the relief materials on behalf of the state government to chairmen of the two local councils in Benin City, the state capital.

    Gowon said governor Obaseki had earlier extended similar gesture to some communities in other local government areas in the state where windstorm wreaked havoc three months ago.

    He explained that Governor Obaseki has fulfilled the promise he made shortly after the disaster, to assist the affected communities.

    “This is a continuous exercise; as at date, we have donated relief materials to communities in about 12 local government areas and we have been receiving letters of appreciation from the beneficiaries.

    “While some states in the country that experienced similar disaster are still waiting for the support of the federal government, the Edo State government has gone ahead to render assistance to these communities,” he said.

    Receiving the items, the chairmen of the councils commended the Obaseki-led administration for bringing succour to the affected persons.

    The Chairman of Owan West Council, who was represented by Mr George Ohioma, assured that committees would be set up to oversee the distribution of the items as directed by the state government.

    The Chairman of Esan West LGA, represented by Osborn Elimhele said “we are happy about the intervention from the state government and we will ensure that the affected people get the materials.”

    The relief materials include roofing sheets, bags of cement, ceiling boards and bags of nails.

  • Edo SUBEB completes training for fresh 1, 500 teachers

    The Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), has completed training for a new batch of 1, 500 public primary school teachers in the state, on the use of modern technologies in the classroom.

    The training is an initiative of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration to reform the basic education sub-sector of the state, and restore the glory of public education.

    It entails training of teachers and deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and reforming the school system to adapt to modern trends in pedagogy.

    Read Also:We will not share Edo people’s money – Obaseki 

    The training of the teachers selected from public primary school across the state is a component of the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) Teachers’ Professional Development (TPD) phase II programme.

    Recall that in May 2018, Governor Obaseki launched the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme, which signalled the start of the overhaul of the basic education sub-sector in the state.

    The Edo-BEST TPD phase II programme entails the training of teachers on new teaching methods, deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in teaching; harmonisation of teaching and learning outcomes across locations as well as the adoption of interactive classroom management model among others.

    Other aspects captured by the training include: governance and institutional development; teacher and curriculum development; community participation and partnership; and infrastructure and organisational development.

    The 1, 500 teachers who have completed their training, are part of the 5, 000 teachers selected from primary schools across the three senatorial districts of the state and are being trained in three batches.

    According to the Chairman of Edo SUBEB and Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, 3, 500 other teachers are expected to complete their training on August 31 and September 14, noting that by September, the state government would have successfully trained a total of 7000 teachers and outfitted them with digital devices and smart phones for the headteachers.

     

  • Gunmen kill police escort, butcher in Edo

    …Abduct 10 motorists

     

    Gunmen on Thursday evening blocked the Benin-Auchi highway and killed a police escort attached to the just inaugurated 13-man Caretaker Committee of the state Butchers Union in Edo state.

    The 13-man Committee was inaugurated to oversee the affairs of the State Butchers Union by Governor Godwin Obaseki to put an end to the protracted crisis that had rocked the union.

    Read Also:Gunmen hijack commercial bus in Rivers

    Name of the slain policeman was simply identified as Sergeant Jubril.

    Also killed by the gunmen is the Vice Chairman of the butchers’ committee, Comrade Nathaniel Iyamu.

    They were said to have been attacked when their convoy ran into a robbery operation while returning from Afuze in Owan East local government where the local branch of the union was inaugurated.

    An eyewitness said the armed men abducted some motorists while shooting sporadically.

    The incident occurred near Obadan village along the Benin-Auchi highway.

    It was gathered that the police escort had shot into the air to apparently scare the gunmen away.

    The witness said the late police escort ran into the bush alongside others when he was gunned down.

    According to the witness, “The criminal operation lasted for over an hour causing heavy traffic gridlock. Many passengers ran for safety.

    “Some passengers were also robbed of uncountable valuables while some were taken to unknown destination on eye witness account.”

    A member of the committee who pleaded anonymity said the lifeless body of the police was recovered at about 10pm.

    Police spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident saying the police are investigating the incident.

  • Edo LG workers nabbed for issuing fake revenue receipts

    Two revenue enforcement workers of the Egor Local Government Area of Edo State have been arrested for issuing fake receipt to unsuspected commercial drivers.

    The sum of N280,000 believed to have been realised from the sale of ticket was recovered from the suspects identified as Monday Esewi and Iyoha Osagie.

    Read Also:Edo is third in Africa Report ‘State of States’ Ranking

    Governor Godwin Obaseki had last year introduced e-ticketing as a means of collecting revenue by government officials.

    Luck ran out of the two suspects when the council boss, Ms. Eghe Ogbemudia, accosted a commercial driver and demanded to know whether he has paid the approved daily payment of N800.

    Ogbemudia was shocked to see the ticket provided by the driver was different from the official receipt.

    The council boss led other official to Uselu Market where the driver said he obtained the ticket from and discovered several booklets of fake receipt in the possession of the suspects.

    She further discovered that the usually began the sale of fake tickets at 6am before resuming at the council secretariat at 8am to collect the genuine receipts.

    In a chat with newsmen, Ogbemudia said it was shocking for her to know that the people she empowered with jobs would be the ones to destroy the system.

    According to her, “We discovered cash and fake receipts booklets from the two revenue enforcers. It was a driver that told me he bout the tickets at Uselu Market.”

    The suspects however denied selling fake tickets to commercial motorists.

    According to Monday, “Those receipts are not fake. They were given to us by staff of the local council.

    Iyoha said, “I was shocked when they said the receipts are fake. All the tickets I sell everyday are collected from the council secretariat.”

  • Edo Innovation Hub seeks more occupants for co-working spaces

    The Edo Innovation Hub has opened its doors for entrepreneurs in Edo State and environs to take opportunity of its co-working spaces and other facilities made available at the technology cluster in driving innovation and strengthening the tentacles of the tech ecosystem in the state.

    The Edo Innovation Hub, a brainchild of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration, is a fully-furnished cluster for technology companies, fitted with state-of-the-art support structures including high-speed internet, power, indoor and outdoor works paces, library, conference rooms, training rooms, among others. It also hosts the South-South Innovation Hub, an initiative of the federal government, domiciled in the Vice President’s office for youths in South-South Nigeria to leverage technology in solving everyday problems.

    Read Also:Edo Innovation Hub partners Siemens on ‘The Hack Edo Series’

    Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Skills Development and Job Creation, Mrs. Ukinebo Dare, said that the Edo Innovation Hub is arguably one of the best equipped and furnished spaces to run a start-up company in Southern Nigeria.

    Explaining that Governor Godwin Obaseki is committed to equipping youths in the state with the right environment to birth tech ideas, she said, “We are excited to be opening up the Edo Innovates cluster to budding entrepreneurs in Edo State and environs. We are open to working with them, providing the enabling environment to nurture their start-ups, and training and other benefits of a co-working space.”

    She noted that some of the services provided in the hub include virtual office, shared desks, dedicated desks, private office and serviced office, all of which have access to services such as mail handling, electricity, business support, workshop and training and networking opportunities.

    She said some of the programmes outlined for the third quarter of the year at the hub are Microsoft and Tech4Dev digital skills training for entrepreneurs; Curators University’s Artificial Intelligence and Data Science boot camp for 49 budding developers; Microsoft’s Basic Digital Literacy for Teachers; and Oracle train-the-trainers programme for teachers.

    Others, according to her, include Butterflyworks Netherlands’s three-day co-creation event, which will engage the local community, youths and employers.

    She said the hub currently plays host to Mobicure, a tech business that provides mothers access to doctors, as well as Toogle Nigeria Limited (5k Academy), a web-based training provider, which facilitates professional training on project management, marketing, programming, among others.

  • Manufacturers laud Obaseki’s reform initiatives

    … back investment in infrastructure

     

    Manufacturers on Tuesday in Benin City, the Edo State capital, lauded the ongoing reform initiatives of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration and pledged their support for the state government.

    Chairman of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Edo/Delta Branch, Dr. Alofoje Unuigboje, who led members of the association on a courtesy visit to the Edo State Governor, noted that the ease of doing business in the state has greatly improved.

    Read Also:Obaseki slashes market levy by 40%, as NURTW lauds devt strides

    “The ease of doing business in Edo State has improved considerably. The desilting activities on Ugbowo-Uselu axis and other locations in Benin City are appreciated.

    The disappearance of the ‘ocean’ at Okhoro/New Lagos Road crossroad has improved traffic situation considerably and saves cost of vehicle repairs,” Unuigboje said.

    The association applauded the rural/urban dichotomy in Land Use Charge and advised that “it should be sustained to assist rural development and stem rural-urban drift.”

    It urged the state government to sustain her focus on developing science and technology, which it described as “the sub-stream on which industrialisation rests,” amongst other recommendations.

    In his remark, the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, assured the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) that his administration would continue to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state.

    The governor told his guests that the he was committed to developing the infrastructure that would attract foreign and local investors, adding that the completion of the Benin River Port and the Benin Industrial Park is top priority to his administration.

    Obaseki said: “My administration has done well by eradicating private tax collectors from the state. This has also increased the Internally Generated Revenue of the state.

    “The easy way to creating jobs for our people is for government to ensure that an enabling environment is created for businesses to boom. In the area of tax collection, the good news is that we have now introduced the use of technology in all the local government areas of the state.”

    On infrastructure, he assured that “Our goal as a government is to continue to rehabilitate and reconstruct roads that will connect all parts of the state and serve as major channels for the distribution of goods.”

    “As part of making Edo State more viable, a very transparent and procurement process has been put in place, such that all government procurements are listed and matched with local producers,” he said.

  • Edo berates BEDC over poor supply of electricity to residents

    …as 4th National Council on Power commences in Benin City

     

    The Edo State Government has frowned at the poor supply of electricity by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to residents of the state.

    Representative of Governor Godwin Obaseki and Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources, Hon. Yekini Idaiye, made the government’s position known while declaring open the 4th National Council on Power (NACOP) themed: “Increasing Access to Electricity through Improved Power Infrastructure,” held at the Government House, in Benin City, Edo State.

    He said the daily average supply of electricity put at eight hours, was less than 20 percent of the estimated consumer population of 1.2 million who have post and pre-paid meters.

    Read Also: Community cries out over alleged bedc’s illegal levies, power cut

    The commissioner said that majority of the consumers are groaning under the estimated billing system with its attendant high corporate fraud on the part of BEDC, noting, “BEDC since inception has not added any value to the Infrastructure it inherited which explains the poor and deteriorated state of the power infrastructure in this part of the country.”

    He explained that the special technical committee constituted by Edo State Government to undertake a comprehensive audit of the power infrastructure in the state revealed the poor state of the infrastructure.

    According to Idiaye, BEDC personnel on the field are unprofessional in their conduct and openly engage the services of military personnel to intimidate and brutalise customers, noting, “This programme is coming at the right time as people in the state want improved access to power supply.

    “Nigerians want to have improved access to power supply and industries want to have electricity to scale up production.”

    The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDC) Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu urged the federal government to make electricity more accessible to the people as it will enhance the growth of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), create employment opportunities, and boost economy activities.”

    The Commandant who was represented by the Assistant Commandant General in charge of Protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, Jonathan Iyogho, urged government to increase access to pre-paid meters as it will ensure payment for what is consumed and save energy due to controlled usage.

  • Constituency projects are no souvenirs for elections

    It is commonplace to hear people speak about constituency projects initiated and executed by lawmakers in their various constituencies. In fact, the controversy behind how much legislators receive as constituency allowance has been in the front burner of political discourse for quite some time now. There is nothing like constituency allowance, it exists only in the imagination of the public.

    I am worried by the erroneous impression prevailing in public domain about the execution of constituency projects in Edo State. Governor Godwin Obaseki has put a stop to using these projects as souvenirs for federal lawmakers in the state.

    People make a lot of noise as if constituency projects are a business given to a lawmaker who then becomes a contractor but that is not true. The job of the lawmaker is to identify such projects and it is for the Executive to certify and implement them in the constituency of the lawmaker. They call it constituency project because it originates from the lawmaker in his constituency, not that the lawmaker is the contractor executing it.

    The constituency project has to be approved first by the State or Federal Executive Council and it is then tendered while the contractor that wins it goes to work and he is paid as he puts in his certificate like every other contractor. But because they call it constituency project, there is an erroneous impression among some persons that it is a ‘gift’, and that lawmakers have become contractors. This is not true.

    Indeed, beyond just performing other oversight functions as provided for in the constitution, it will be incumbent on the legislature to look beyond the call of duty and political patronage in citing constituencies projects; the need of the constituency they represent must be seen to be accorded the desired priority if even development must be achieved.

    Senator Matthew Urhoghide has cried out that the Edo State government has destroyed all the projects he attracted to his constituency because he is a member of the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party. He alleged that agents of Governor Obaseki have begun tearing down the labels on the solar street lights installed in various streets of his senatorial district. A walk round the streets where the solar-powered street lights are located showed that the posters of Senator Urhoghide and Ogbeide Ihama have been removed from the street lights.

    However, government sources said the posters of the lawmakers placed on the street lights on roads under construction by the state government made the people believed that the road projects were part of the constituency projects. This led the governor to order the removal of the substandard and unauthorised road furniture including similar projects, on roads and other projects across the state.

    Obaseki had said that the decision became necessary in order to streamline project execution across the state and eliminate the chaotic situation currently being experienced. He stated that the growing trend of executing projects without recourse to the agencies of government that give approvals and licences for such projects, in line with laid down rules, was worrisome and must stop.

    The National Assembly also has the responsibility of oversight function to monitor the execution of constituency projects so as to stop using constituency projects to corruptly enrich some people.

     

    By Inwalomhe Donald

    Benin City, Edo State.