The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Governor of Edo State

  • Edo Local Govt pensioners get over N212 million for August

    Edo Local Govt pensioners get over N212 million for August

    The commitment made by the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, to continue to cater to the needs of pensioners who are the state’s senior citizens, has again been demonstrated, with the payment of N212,879,888 million naira to local government pensioners.

    According to Obaseki, the state will continue to accord its pensioners the respect they have earned and deserve, in the scheme of things in the state.

    He explained that the over N212 million naira was for the month of August and urged Edo pensioners and workers to support the ongoing reform embarked upon by his administration in key areas such as education, primary healthcare, infrastructure, security, job creation and industrialisation amongst others.

    The governor tasked heads of local government areas to creatively harness the huge human and natural resources that abound in all parts of the state for the good of all Edo people.

    He assured that the newly commissioned BUA Cement company and the Edo Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited have started impacting positively on the economy of the state through the creation of jobs, access to affordable fertilizer by farmers and the emergence of several allied businesses.

    Edo State exited the committee of civil service states last week, when the  Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo commissioned the 60,000 metric tonnes fertilizer plant in Auchi and the two million metric tonnes BUA Cement plant in Okpella in the state, setting the stage for huge industrial activities in the two key sectors of the state.

  • Int’l Day of Charity: Obaseki drums support for Benue flood victims, others

    Int’l Day of Charity: Obaseki drums support for Benue flood victims, others

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has tasked charitable persons, governments, religious groups and other organisations to remember the people of Benue State and others in distress, as the world celebrates the International Day of Charity on the 5th of September.

     

    Obaseki said the scale of the crisis resulting from the flooding in parts of Benue State was beyond the power of the Benue State Government alone and urged global leaders, captains of various industries as well as religious leaders to mobilise resources for victims of the flood.

     

    “The International Day of Charity set aside by the United Nations reinforces our common humanity, shared values and love for one another especially in times of crises,” Obaseki said.

     

    He decried the lack of accurate climatic data to guide builders and developers in flood prone areas at the local government level where much of uncontrolled development takes place. 

     

    The governor commended President Muhammadu Buhari for throwing the federal government’s weight behind efforts to assist victims of the floods in Benue State as he earlier did for Edo State and others that were affected by floods a couple of months ago.

     

    He lauded similar support by individuals and groups, some of whom made donations without disclosing their identities as well as local groups that participated in rescue efforts during the crisis.

     

    The United Nations Day of Charity is marked on September 5th every year.

     

    The day is set aside to recognize the role of philanthropy in the eradication of all forms of poverty and attending to the needs of the most vulnerable people.

     

  • Obaseki proffers Transnational Coalition to end Slavery

    Obaseki proffers Transnational Coalition to end Slavery

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has proffered transnational partnerships between state and non-state actors as the only way to end slavery in all its forms.

    Obaseki made the proposition on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day for the Remembrance of Slave Trade and its Abolition on August 23, 2017, a day set aside by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to memorialize the Transatlantic slave trade.

    Obaseki said that while “the transatlantic trade in human beings ended over 200 years ago, slavery has refused to go away as it still thrives in several other forms, with millions of children, teenagers and even adults, sold daily across the world by human traffickers to greedy masters and mistresses who use them for cheap labour and illicit sex trade.”

    He decried the negative backlash of human trafficking on the society which includes the erosion of age-old progressive values such as hard work, integrity, and self-worth and emphasized that international coalition and partnership is needed to put an end to the dehumanizing practice.

    “In Edo State, our administration is committed to the fight against human trafficking as many Edo youths have lost their lives to the illicit trade. We have set up an Anti-human Trafficking Task-force, to go after human traffickers in the state,” Obaseki said.

    He further said that his administration had thrown its weight behind the federal government’s plan to extend the whistle-blowing policy to human trafficking.

    The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition had its maiden celebration in Haiti on August 23, 1998.

     

  • Edo auto crash: Obaseki sympathises with victims, families

    Edo auto crash: Obaseki sympathises with victims, families

    …Set to unveil new traffic wardens, policy

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has expressed his sympathy for the victims and families of those who were involved in the auto crash that claimed nine lives on Tuesday, along Upper Sokponba Road in Benin City, Edo State.

    Obaseki, who received the news with sadness and great distress, said: “particularly painful is the fact that the people were only just setting out early in the morning in search of their daily bread when the unfortunate incident occurred.”

    He added that the state would soon unveil the new traffic wardens who have been undergoing training to take over traffic management on the state’s roads to check accidents and unprofessional conducts by drivers on the roads.

    “The sad event brings the need to enhance the regulation of road traffic in the state into sharp focus. Which is why apart from our commitment to fixing our road infrastructure, we have recruited and trained a group of young men and women in the state to take charge of traffic management in the state,” the governor said.

    The visibly shaken governor said that there were no words adequate to express the grief which members of the families of the accident victims have been suddenly thrust into, and assured that “as a government we want them to know that we stand with them in this desperately difficult time. Our prayers are with the friends and families of the victims as well as the entire Edo people in this trying time and our pledge to do all in our power to improve living conditions in the state remains unshaken.”

     

  • Monitoring team ranks Edo high on transparency, job creation

    Monitoring team ranks Edo high on transparency, job creation

    The World Bank Implementation Support Team, monitoring the implementation of State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) projects in the Niger Delta region, has ranked Edo State high on transparency and job creation for youths.

    The leader of the support team, Mr. Ismaila Ceesay, who led his members on a courtesy visit to the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House in Benin City on Monday, said the state was doing well in the execution of component A1 of the projects.

    The Component A1 projects include the creation of direct jobs for unemployed youths in Edo State.

    According to Ceesay, the World Bank team was on a working visit to assess the execution of the various components of the SEEFOR Projects in the four implementing states of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.

    “Edo is one of the four states that produce its financial statements and have them audited within six to seven months of the fiscal year and have the report published,” Mr. Ceesay said.

    He urged Governor Obaseki to sustain the culture of financial accountability and remain a beacon of transparency in public finance.

    The team leader, however, noted that the state should ensure that all segments of the projects are active in the state.

    He pledged that his team was ready to work with the state execution team to address challenges that may arise in the process of executing the projects .

    In his remarks, Obaseki said his administration would work with the team to develop work plans for the reactivation of the TVET and FADAMMA activities in the state,

    The governor noted that the state has paid over N400 million as counterpart fund since his administration was inaugurated and commended the World Bank for releasing $1.6 million for the renovation of the Benin Technical College.

  • World Humanitarian Day: Obaseki salutes aid workers, seeks more support for war victims

    World Humanitarian Day: Obaseki salutes aid workers, seeks more support for war victims

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Saturday called on leaders across the globe to increase donations to victims of conflicts and aid workers caring for them.

    Obaseki made the call as the world marked World Humanitarian Day, a day set aside by the United Nations to identify with civilian victims of wars and all forms of conflicts.

    This year, the United Nations is drawing attention to aid workers who are increasingly becoming targets in conflict situations.

    Obaseki said: “As we mark the 2017 edition of World Humanitarian Day, today August 19, 2017, I urge the global community to scale up donations and other forms of support for victims of wars and crises across the globe as well as aid workers who are taking care of them.”

    The governor explained that “Wars and crises leave in their wake, varying figures of deaths, the injured and those cut off from their homes, including women and children.

    “The United Nations’ World Humanitarian Day affords all of us in the global human community to share in the sense of loss of victims of conflicts, mobilize resources for them and salute the sacrifices of aid workers who put their lives on the line while caring for these victims of war.”

    According to Obaseki, “These victims include our brothers and sisters in the North East region of Nigeria, who have lost persons and property to the Boko Haram insurgency in that region, some of whom are in various Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across the country.”

    He maintained that the increasing number of war victims would require more than the usual efforts of governments and charitable individuals.

    “I respectfully call on governments to do more in protecting this class of vulnerable people. And as one global human family, we all – individuals, religious bodies, professional groups, communities amongst others, should spare a thought, some food, water, medical consumables and other forms of assistance for these victims and their care givers to enhance their wellbeing,” Obaseki said.

  • Obaseki partners COREN to check inflated road contracts

    Obaseki partners COREN to check inflated road contracts

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki on Wednesday demonstrated his administration’s commitment to the frugal allocation of the resources accruing to the state by setting up a contact group with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) to review road contracts awarded by the state government.

    According to Obaseki, the contact group made up of executive members of COREN, the country’s highest engineering regulatory body, would drive down the cost of constructing roads and ensure quality work is done by contractors.

    Speaking during a courtesy visit by the executive members of COREN in Government House, Benin City, led by the Chief Inspector of the Benin Engineering Regulatory Inspectorate, Engr. Dr. Victor Obanor, the governor, expressed displeasure over the tendency for contractors to inflate the cost of road construction when the materials are available in within the country.

    Obaseki said the partnership with COREN was imperative and essential towards reducing the cost of construction, especially roads.

    He noted that his administration places a high premium on transparency and accountability and would ensure there is real value for every tax payer’s kobo spent to fund projects in the state. He further stressed that the state would need the collaboration of COREN in manpower development in order to boost the capacity of workers in the state, especially engineers.

    Earlier, Dr. Obanor said the group was impressed with the vision of the governor for infrastructural development in the state.

    According to him, “COREN believes that a technical solution is needed to deliver cost-effective and durable infrastructure, bearing in mind the current state of the country’s economy.”

     

  • Human Trafficking: Obaseki seeks home-grown solution

    Human Trafficking: Obaseki seeks home-grown solution

    …Sets up Task Force

     

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday inaugurated the State Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, a measure that will proffer a new set of home-grown solutions to the age-long social problem.

    Obaseki lamented that the state was fast becoming synonymous with human trafficking and charged the taskforce to urgently redeem the state’s image as Edo people do not want to be associated with the stigma any more.

    The new measure according to him, would complement the efforts of the federal government through the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) and other international organizations involved in the fight against human trafficking.

    “It is has been suggested that a special court be established in the state to prosecute perpetrators. We are losing our young people to this negative trend and we must make human trafficking a thing of the past in the state,” the governor said.

    He charged the task force made up of representatives of security agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), NAPTIP, Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government, religious and traditional institutions, to come up with modalities on how to domesticate the federal government’s law on trafficking in the state.

    The taskforce was also charged to come up with a comprehensive action plan for combating trafficking in persons as well as programmes that will help in reintegrating victims of the illicit trade into the society.

    In her remarks, the Chairman of the task force, Professor Yinka Omorogbe, who is also the Attorney General of the state, commended the governor for the initiative and said that it would bring an end to the problem, with the cooperation and support of all members of the society.

    She assured that members of the taskforce would live up to the confidence reposed on them and pledged that a working document would be ready within the six-week period given to them.

  • Hajj: Obaseki charges Edo Pilgrims to be good ambassadors

    Hajj: Obaseki charges Edo Pilgrims to be good ambassadors

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday charged the state delegation to the 2017 Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to be good ambassadors of the state.

    Obaseki who gave the charge during a visit to the 260 intending pilgrims at the Hajj Camp on Dumez Road, Benin City, said: “The exercise you are about to embark on is a holy one, and one of the pillars of the Islamic religion. Don’t joke with it. You are courageous, upright, honest citizens of the state and I know you will demonstrate all these qualities in the ‘Holy Land’.”

    He maintained that he was ready to partner with people that gather in the name of God because of what God has done in his life and added that his presence at the Hajj Camp was to make sure the pilgrims were comfortable and bid them farewell to the ‘Holy Land’.

    Obaseki however disclosed that the late inauguration of the State Muslim Welfare Board was due to the efforts of some people to politicise the selection of the members.

    He stressed that “the work of God is not about politics, as every politician wants to be on the State Muslim Welfare Board. I wonder if the board is for politics or the work of God. If Allah calls you to serve him, serve him with a true heart and a sincere mind, not to manipulate a religious process. The interference in the process delayed the setting up of the Board.” he concluded.

    The Chairman of the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Ibrahim Oyarekhua, said the governor’s visit to the intending pilgrims at the Hajj Camp ahead of their departure, was the first of its kind and a demonstration of the governor’s humility.

    He appealed to the governor to provide the board with an official vehicle and a befitting Hajj Camp at the board’s office in the state capital.

  • Obaseki inspects state media outfits, to revamp EBS, Observer

    Obaseki inspects state media outfits, to revamp EBS, Observer

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Monday paid an unscheduled inspection visit to the state radio and television stations, Edo Broadcasting Service and the Nigerian Observer, publishers of the Observer newspaper titles and hinted that the media outfits would be overhauled for optimal performance.

    Speaking after inspecting the facilities at the Edo Broadcasting Service in Benin City, Obaseki said his administration has resolved to leverage on digital technology so that the media outfit can compete favourably with similar enterprises across the country.

    “Clearly, we need to upgrade the technology of this media outfit to conform to the requirements of the digital era. We also need to upgrade the premises and the quality of people working here,” the governor said.

    He explained that the radio and television stations did very well in ages preceding the digital era, but stressed that the digital age demands continuous scaling up to meet present day quality of service delivery.

    Obaseki who was taken round by the Assistant General Manager (AGM) Engineering, Mrs. Ameze Osagie, assured that his administration would reclaim the portion of EBS land taken over by private developers to ensure there is enough land space for effective operation of the media outfit.

    “We have laws in place, for those who have taken government land around this area, we need to recover the land to enable us carry out the overhaul we are planning for the outfit,” he added.

    A similar feeling of disappointment was expressed by the governor at the facilities of the Nigerian Observer, publishers of the Observer titles established by the late Brig.General Samuel Ogbemudia (rtd.) fifty years ago.

    Obaseki said he was in consultation with media experts to come up with a clear roadmap on what to do with the newspaper company.

    “I don’t know what we will end up doing with this organization right now because by the time it was set up in 1968, it served the need of that time. Today the media world has changed, technology has changed the operations of newspaper houses. This was a front line technology 50 years ago. But 50 years after, we should look at where the world is today,” he added.