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Tag: Governor of Edo State

  • Obaseki presents N146bn 2018 Budget Estimate to Edo Assembly

    Obaseki presents N146bn 2018 Budget Estimate to Edo Assembly

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Wednesday presented a 146billion 2018 Appropriation Bill and Budget Estimates, christened ‘the Budget of Growth’ to the Edo State House of Assembly with the assurance to consolidate on the infrastructural and socio-economic gains of the outgoing year 2017.

    Obaseki commended the Speaker and members of the Edo State House of Assembly for their unprecedented support through their timely responses to requests for legislations and other forms of support to the executive arm of government.

    According to the governor, “we have a budget size of N146, 659,830,444 billion, which is a 15% nominal increase over the 2017 budget. The 2018 budget is made up of N66,797,615,689 for Recurrent and N79,862,214,754 as Capital expenditure.”

    He explained that the “revenue estimates for the budget are based on a $45 bench mark for crude oil and average daily production of 2.3 million barrels per day as well as an increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), as a result of reforms in revenue collection.”

    Obaseki assured that the 2018 budget will build on the recovery witnessed in 2017, and stressed that “We intend to revitalise the state economy by increasing capital spending, hence, we envisage a capital/recurrent expenditure ratio of (54%:46%) which highlights our vision to grow, with cash receipts capped at N120,099,830,443.52 to be sourced from statutory allocation, IGR and grants.”

    Analysing the budget estimates, the governor said “a larger part of the 2018 budget will be devoted to the development of physical and social infrastructure across the state to improve the standard of living of Edo people.

    “Our government will consolidate on the gains we have made in wooing investors to the state. Alaghodaro Investment Summit was a huge success and I must thank you Mr Speaker and Honourable members for your support for the laudable initiative. We have been bombarded by enquiries from all over the world after the investment summit as investors have come to accept that Edo is indeed ready for business. This budget is expected to drive growth and progress in all sectors of the state.”

    The priority areas in the proposed 2018 capital expenditure framework, he explained  “are social and physical infrastructure for which we have earmarked N51 billion. We will take advantage of the Dry Season to reconstruct several bad roads and construct new ones across the state to boost socio-economic activities. We have already commenced the procurement process for the roads through advertisements in major national newspapers.”

    To boost employment generation across the state, Obaseki said that “N9.7billion will be spent on economic growth and employment enablers. Part of which will be targeted at the establishment of a Skills Development Agency responsible for coordinating all the State Government’s human capacity development initiatives targeted at youths, women and vulnerable groups.

    “This will enhance the capacity of these individuals for direct employment and entrepreneurship. Our government will continue with the investment in the development of industrial parks across the state to turn around the fortunes of our economy as an industrial state, from the old narrative of a civil servants’ state.”

    He noted that “the import of consolidating on reforms embarked on in the previous year is not lost on us. So, as much as we are committed to accommodating private sector investment inflows, we are equally committed to strengthening the state workforce, processes and institutions for optimal service delivery.

    “To achieve this, N7.1bn has been set aside for direct intervention in institutional, law and order reforms which will cover investments in Judiciary, governance and security institutions.

    We will continue the reforms in administration of state resources, improving the work environment, digitalising our processes and providing faster and easier access to relevant government information.

    “We have set aside N6.3bn and N3.3bn respectively for the education and health sectors to further strengthen the gains made in ongoing basic education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) reforms. In the health sector, he assured that attention will be given to primary health care service delivery and health insurance for Edo people. “To this end, the Edo State Primary Healthcare Board and the Edo State Health Insurance Commission are currently being setup. These Agencies will ensure we achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets for health and wellness across all communities in Edo State,” he said.

    The governor said the outlook for the economy in 2018 remains broadly positive, against the backdrop of stable oil prices, higher domestic crude oil production volume and new efforts by Fiscal and Monetary Authorities at tackling deep-seated structural challenges.

     According to him “the budget will usher us into a new phase of economic rejuvenation. It is anchored on the six pillars, which will drive our transformation of the state into an investment hub.  This growth vision will be driven by investments in infrastructure, reform of our institutions, enhancement of the social welfare of our people, the repositioning of our culture and tourism sector to create jobs as well as the sustenance of our environmental programmes.”

    “In addition, the improvement in the national economy, specifically, the rise in crude oil prices, and the vote of confidence by development partners such as the World Bank and the private sector, amongst others, have placed us on the path of progress.  We envision a future that will provide jobs and critical social and physical infrastructure for Edo people to realise their God-given potential.”

    Reviewing the achievements in the outgoing year, Obaseki said that his administration introduced the Edo Jobs Initiative, where around 200,000 job seekers across the state were registered and the state succeeded in matching 30,000 of these people with job opportunities in the following areas: EDOSEEFOR, 9000; EIRS, 1500; Construction and Electricity Distribution, 6,500; Ministry of Women Affairs, 3000; Private Organisations, 1,250; Entrepreneurship Interventions 4,510 and others.”

    “Recognizing that the problems in our secondary and tertiary education can be readily traced to the quality, management, and operation of our basic education system, we immediately commenced a system of transforming and strengthening the capacity of the State  Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) this is with a with a view to ensuring that it lived up to its mandate especially in the area of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Capacity building for teachers, refocused its administrative and management structures, and introduced new processes for discipline etc.  This is bound to impact on outcomes of our school activities and performances and result in the production of employable graduates in the medium to long term.

     On the reforms in land administration in the state, he commended the House of Assembly for their  “unprecedented collaboration and the support of His Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II. We have restored sanity to the land acquisition and management system in the state with the timely passage of the Private Property Protection Bill into Law. Edo State has become a reference point in this regard and other states are copying this courageous effort of ours, at removing unnecessary encumbrances from our prized land resource, to pave the way for speedy growth in the housing sector and the industrialisation of the state.

    “To eliminate red-tape and corruption in land allocation and use, and to lay the basis for urban planning and modernizing our cities and towns, we have created a new Edo State Geographic Information Service (Edo-GIS) that is mainly technology driven and managed by professionals.

    “Similarly, we have reconstituted the Edo State Development Property Authority (EDPA) and transferred all the functions of the former Ministry of Housing to it and with a new governance arrangement, the agency will drive new initiatives in commercial and social housing.

     “We have established a strong Ease of Doing Business Committee to oversee our full compliance with the National Ease of Doing Business Process anchored on truly global standards as well as a one-stop, shop Edo Investment and Business Bureau.   This has eliminated bureaucracy from our business environment for faster results and compliance with established rules.

    “Having identified power as a key factor in promoting growth and development, we are pleased that the Azura 450 MW power plant will be completed early next year.  We continue to encourage other investors to participate in power generation, and signed a Power Purchase Agreement with Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Company to provide 5MW to power Government buildings and street lights. We have also been having discussions with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company on the ways to improve electricity supply to the citizens of the State.

    “We are redesigning the security architecture of Edo State to ensure that government performs its constitutional responsibility to guarantee the security of life and property.  This new architecture is programmed to involve all the Security Agencies, communities, institutions, Wards and Local Governments in the state.

    “We have reorganized our public transportation system, reorganized the transport management and traffic control agency and significantly eased the flow of traffic in the metropolis. The state government engaged 650 people in the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA). These courteous but firm and very well-trained men and women have introduced sanity in the traffic situation in Edo State. We have also completed the designs of bus terminals and we are confident that the construction of the Central Benin City Bus Terminal will commence first quarter 2018. We are taking delivery of 75 new commuter busses to restock the fleet of our Comrade Busses very soon.

    “Our dream of an industrialised state will be facilitated by the development of the Gelegele Seaport. We are committed to the realisation of this project because of the several socio-economic benefits that are tied to it, namely jobs, a gateway for the exportation of processed products from our industries and the allied businesses it will attract to the state. A Technical Report on the project has been submitted and it is being reviewed for implementation.

     “The Arts, Culture and Tourism sector is without contestation a heritage bequeathed to us by our forefathers and a source of pride to every Edo man and woman. We are repackaging and rebranding the sector through Public Private Partnership to harness the job creating opportunities in the sector and raise the profile of our artists, entertainers, tour operators, destination managers and hotel owners in our overall desire to become the preferred tourist destination in Nigeria.”

    In his response, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Honourable Kabiru Adjoto, commended the governor for his achievements in the outgoing year and assured that the proposed budget will be speedily passed into law.

  • Obaseki condemns modern-day slavery in Libya

    Obaseki condemns modern-day slavery in Libya

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has decried the reported sale of persons into modern-day slavery in Libya, describing the incident as a “desecration of the sanctity of humanity.”

    In a statement, the governor, who condemned the act as an “evil that must be stopped at all cost,” said that indigenes of Edo State, who may have been caught up in the web of human traffickers, should come back home, as his government has set up systems to reintegrate into society.

    The governor was reacting to a recent report by America-based news channel, Cable News Network (CNN), in which victims of human trafficking, who were stuck in Libya, were being auctioned as salves for as low as $400.

    According to the governor, “I received the news of the incident with shock because it reduces the value of the human to the basest levels. In fact, this takes us back to the age of slave trade, which, I believe, doesn’t have a place in modern society.

    “That this is happening shows that many have lost their way. This applies to those who are involved in this trade and those who created the environment for such a dastardly act to thrive.”

    He reiterated the state government’s support initiative for returnees, promising to integrate them back into society through skills training and provision of stipends to ease their resettlement.

    Noting that the state is attracting investment that will make contemplating to embark on such treacherous journeys a thing of the past, he said, “We are building structures to make this state a hub for industrial activity. We have the best of arable land in the country. In time past, there was not enough incentive to invest in this state, but we are removing all the encumbrances.

    “We are also soliciting for international efforts to provide an even more robust package for the returnees and also create an environment that will discourage people from migrating illegally to Europe. We are convinced that there are opportunities back home and we want to make sure the people back here tap from them and do not have reasons to leave.”

  • Global alliance, legislation key to halting violence against women – Obaseki

    Global alliance, legislation key to halting violence against women – Obaseki

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has called for global alliance and enactment of responsive legislation to stem the tide of gender-based violence and trafficking of girls to assure better future for girls and women.

    Obaseki said this in commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women marked every November 25 by the United Nations.

    The governor said that the day affords policymakers and other stakeholders to reflect on lingering attitudes and behaviours that give rise to domestic, sexual, and workplace violence as well as obnoxious cultural norms that have placed women in a disadvantaged position.

    Stressing that this year’s theme “Leave No One Behind” speaks to the growing need to pursue programmes, intensify efforts and sustain funding to reduce the incidence of gender-based violence, he said, “Laws need to be passed, existing legislations need to be strengthened and enforced to end violence against women and to curb the tendency that lead to these actions. As government is pushing for this, the people must also know that there are attitudes and behaviours that need to be changed.”

    He said that it was imperative to erect structures and provide incentives to tackle deep-rooted practices that give rise to violence against women, noting “The narrative that we ought to drive – and which has worked elsewhere – is that women do matter. Gender-based violence undermines humanity and puts a question on the sanity of perpetrators of these vice. The menace calls for global action.”

    “Much as this is a global challenge, we make bold to say that we are faced with a peculiar case in Edo State, where trafficking in person, especially women is a growing challenge.

    The victims are tortured in most cases. However, as a government, we have taken decisive steps to stem this tide.

    “We have not only sought and are receiving international support to address the challenge; we have also taken the matter to the Edo State House of Assembly to enact a law that would consolidate the gains we have recorded.

    “The state government has a standing taskforce that oversees the reduction of instances of illegal migration and human trafficking. We are also rehabilitating victims and have made it a policy not to condemn those who were deceived by perpetrators of gender-based violence,” Obaseki said.

    He added that the state government was working to create equal opportunities for women to ensure that they are not discriminated against, noting, “It is important to open up the space for women to be the best they can be, just as their male counterpart. This can be done by pushing for them to take up more opportunities and in doing that, ensuring that they are protected from attacks.”

    Read Also: Obaseki hails Falconets on 5-1 victory over Morocco

     

  • Edo to embark on massive reconstruction of dilapidated schools

    Edo to embark on massive reconstruction of dilapidated schools

    The Edo State Government is set to embark on the reconstruction of dilapidated schools across the state.

    Commissioner for Education, Dr. Christopher Adesotu, who disclosed this during a meeting with School-based Management Committee (SBMC) members, parents and other stakeholders in the education sector in Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okha Local Government Areas of the state, decried the high level of vandalism in public schools.

    Adesotu told the stakeholders that the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, “has drawn up a list of schools that will benefit from the reconstruction and remodelling programme, but is concerned about the activities of vandals.”

    He urged the stakeholders to support the programmes and policies of the Governor Obaseki-led administration by protecting government facilities in their respective communities.

    Some of the stakeholders suggested that local vigilante groups be set up in various communities to protect public schools and other facilities.

    In his response to a suggestion by Mr. Michael Ajayi, a parent, that students be made to pay money to the schools for security purpose, the Chief Inspector of Education (CIE) in Oredo Local Government Area of the state, Dr. Uyi Ekhosuehi, emphasised the role of the SBMC and said that the “body is the only recognised and authorised body to provide infrastructure in schools as the law does not allow government officials to pay or collect monies for infrastructural development in schools.”

    Adesotu further said that the state government was working on a plan to partner with the communities to ensure government facilities are protected by the people in the various communities.

     

  • Trafficking: Edo has built systems to receive Europe, Libya returnees – Obaseki

    Trafficking: Edo has built systems to receive Europe, Libya returnees – Obaseki

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the state has built formidable structures and systems to receive and re-integrate victims of human trafficking and illegal migration who are indigenes of the state.

    Speaking at the International Conference on Women Empowerment and the Fight Against Trafficking in Persons: Partnership Between Nigeria and Italy, organised by the President of Italian Chamber of Deputies, Ms Laura Boldrini, in Rome, Italy, the governor said the state government needs support to sustain its efforts and ensure that youths do not have reasons to embark on treacherous journeys.

    Recall that the state government recently received three batches of over 200 returnees from Libya, who were subsequently enrolled in capacity development programmes and placed on a stipend for three months.

    The state government has set up a task-force to oversee the process of rehabilitating and assimilating returnees and has sent a bill to the Edo State House of Assembly, for the enactment of a law to strengthen the fight against human trafficking in the state.

    Obaseki said that the state requires huge funds to sustain the rehabilitation of the returnees, noting, “we are spending a lot to reintegrate these young people into the society and we anticipate that the expenses would be more in the nearest future. We solicit for support from the European Union, the Italian government as well as other countries affected by this menace to be able to sustain the structures we have set up in the state.”

    “All parties affected by the menace of human trafficking both the countries of origin and the destination countries stand to benefit from the system we have set up in Edo State to engage these youths, which would give them no reason to contemplate migrating illegally. So, we want to strengthen these structures in Edo State to make staying back and working gainfully the preferred choice,” he said.

    On indigenes who are victims of human trafficking and are willing to return to the state, the governor said, “We acknowledge the fact that they are victims, and in many instances, they are entangled in human trafficking due to no fault of theirs. We are extending an open hand to them, and assuring them of support when they return.”

  • Obaseki calls for action to make Nigerian children globally competitive

    Obaseki calls for action to make Nigerian children globally competitive

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said that grooming Nigerian children to compete with their counterparts across the globe, especially arming them with skills and knowledge to meet the peculiar demands of a globalised society would be the best legacy the country can bequeath her children.

    Governor Obaseki said this in commemoration of Universal Children’s Day, marked every November 20, by the United Nations.

    November 20 is important for a couple of reasons in the United Nations System. It is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and on the same date in 1989, the assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

    The governor said that the theme for this year’s celebration, it’s a #kidstakeover, points to the imperative of providing for children opportunities and allowing them the right to express themselves in all sphere of life.

    According to him, “As we mark this day, it is important to understand the delicate situation the child in Nigeria lives. In the nearest future, they would be competing with children who have been exposed to the best of cutting-edge technology. With the world morphing into a global village, it is not impossible to have every kid exposed to same opportunities.”

    “It is with this thinking that we have embarked on a holistic policy reform to reposition the basic education system in Edo State. We do not want our children to compete with their counterparts in Nigeria; we want to make them global citizens,” he said.

    He urged policymakers, teachers, parents and other stakeholders involved in child development to work closely to provide the needed support and incentives for children to realise their full potential.

    He noted, “The place of children in the matrix of development is sacrosanct. We must endeavour to build enduring legacies, not just by erecting structures, but by investing in our young, giving them the opportunity to, tomorrow, have reasons to look back and be grateful that they lived in this country.”

  • Anambra Election: Obaseki congratulates Obiano

    Anambra Election: Obaseki congratulates Obiano

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has congratulated Chief Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on his re-election in the November 18 gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

    Obaseki said reports of the conduct of the Anambra election are heart-warming and reinforce the commitment of the All Progressives Congress to credible polls in Nigeria.

    “I salute the spirit of good sportsmanship demonstrated by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, Mr. Tony Nwoye, for conceding defeat,” he said.

    “We are impressed with the process that produced the winner of the Anambra gubernatorial election and wish to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his insistence on a free, fair and transparent election,” the governor added.

     

  • Alex Ekwueme: Obaseki commiserates with family, Nigeria

    Alex Ekwueme: Obaseki commiserates with family, Nigeria

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki has commiserated with the Ekwueme family and Nigeria over the death of the country’s first Executive Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, whose death was announced on Sunday night at a London hospital.

    Obaseki described the late Ekwueme as a visionary, peace-loving and a creative Nigerian who contributed immensely to the advancement of Nigeria’s democracy.

    “Specifically, his role in the struggle to return Nigeria to civil rule during the military era, under the dictatorial regime of General Sani Abacha is worthy of note,” Obaseki said.

    He also lauded Ekwueme’s numerous contributions to human development through his philanthropic activities and added that his famous proposition for six-geopolitical zones for the country, has to a large extent, helped in putting in clear perspective, the common demands of Nigeria’s minority groups for a platform that will advance their interests.

    Obaseki said that Dr Ekwueme will be greatly missed as Nigerians seek the best of ideas in the ongoing conversation for a greater Nigeria.

    “May the Good Lord grant the Ekwueme family, the good people of Anambra State and all Nigerians, the strength to bear the loss of a worthy son as Dr. Alex Ekwueme,” he noted.

  • Obaseki warns Ijaws not to take Edo Govt.’s tolerance for granted

    Obaseki warns Ijaws not to take Edo Govt.’s tolerance for granted

     

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has called on Ijaws of Edo State, not to take the State Government’s tolerance for granted.

    Obaseki who made the call in commemoration of the International Day for Tolerance, marked on November 16, each year, said the state government’s commitment to a free society where people can express themselves freely, must not be taken as grounds for violating the law.

    “We are creating a culture that appreciates human diversity in all its colours for a robust pool of ideas that would drive socio-economic development at an unprecedented speed in Edo State,” he said.

    “To oppose what is cast in law by acts of illegality such as the purported installation of one Godwin Oguyenbo, as the “Pere of Olodiama Kingdom,” an Ijaw community in Ovia North East Local Council Area of the state, is irresponsible enough” he stressed.

    The governor urged the few people behind the plot to beat a retreat in the interest of the majority of Ijaw people of Edo State, who have since expressed their willingness to abide by only laid down laws in the state.

    We are proud of our diversity as a state and our peaceful coexistence, but will not tolerate acts of illegality by any group, who for their selfish desires want to rail-road the peace-loving Ijaw people of Edo State into a criminal aspiration.

    He added that the state government will continue to protect all law abiding indigenes and friends of the state.

    The International Day for Tolerance was set aside by the United Nations in its efforts at strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples. “This imperative lies at the core of the United Nations Charter, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is more important than ever in this era of rising and violent extremism and widening conflicts that are characterised by a fundamental disregard for human life,” the UN said.

  • Edo, UNITAR sign MoU on capacity devt, education reform

    Edo, UNITAR sign MoU on capacity devt, education reform

    The Edo State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to improve workers’ capacity to deliver quality service.

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, who signed for the state government at Government House in Benin City, said the training would equip Edo civil servants with new knowledge and skills for optimal performance.

    He added that the MoU entails a series of relevant and focused trainings for all civil servants in the state.

    “We have set up a training facility for civil servants; we have also bought computers and other teaching aids. We believe that with the signing of this agreement, we have put in place the necessary framework for building the capacity of our civil servants, by leveraging on the contacts and reach of UNITAR,” Obaseki said.

    He added that, “we will agree on the curricula for the key programmes before the end of the year, develop them and design a time table for the commencement of the training programme in the first month of 2018.”

    Obaseki further explained that the collaboration with the United Nations body would also focus on monitoring and evaluation for efficient systems in the state’s education sector.

    “We are re-enacting our basic education system and we are doing a complete review of the system which will require training and re-training of teachers, education inspectors, and all cadre of stakeholders. This collaboration will give us tremendous leverage to help strengthen our basic education system,” he said.

    He added that the state would also leverage on the partnership to train administrators and teachers at the Benin Technical College.

    Earlier, the Country Representative of UNITAR, Dr Larry Boms, said that the partnership on capacity building would enable Edo civil servants drive government policies effectively, and assured that UNITAR would pull more resources from its partner countries in the European Union.

    He added that other states in the country and countries in the West African region would benefit from the international training centre which will be domiciled in Edo State.