The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Iguoriakhi

  • Obaseki’s effort to revamp College of Agriculture Iguoriakhi on course

    Our attention has been drawn to the concerns raised over the ongoing revamp of the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, the latest being the worry expressed by Usifo Sebastian Ebhuomhan.

    While Ebhuomhan’s faith in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s capacity to steer our collective destiny to prosperity is commendable, his analysis of the issues underlying the institute’s overhaul, merely scratched the surface.

    To begin, after 18 months as governor of Edo State, most Edo people and residents in the state, who have kept steps with Obaseki’s style of governing, would attest to his inclination towards rigorous research, as the only basis for decision making, not emotions, no matter how compelling.

    So far, all the decisions that have been implemented by the state government in the institute are the outcome of an investigative panel that was set up to dig deep into the affairs of the institute, after an unscheduled visit by the governor exposed the derelict state of the institute.

    The Obaseki administration is not one to be swayed by emotion-laden chorus, no matter how amplified, more so, when the hard and cold facts show a dysfunctional institute where the government was paying lecturers who chose when to go to work, exploited students and did not bat an eyelid over the status of the students whose certificates suffered credibility crisis in the labour market and could not participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme for several years, not to add the fact that the staff of the institute outnumbered the students.

    Governance, for Obaseki, is about taking tough decisions that will engender sustainable growth and development for the largest number of people possible.

    Understandably, tough and reform-oriented decisions are not always popular in the short term but they recruit millions of followers when the gains start kicking in.

    Edo youths deserve an institute of agriculture that can compete with its peers anywhere in the world, and parents who toil to send their children to educational institutions in the state, do not deserve anything less.

    We will not accept anything short of the best standard obtainable in the industry and we will not run an agricultural institute that lacks the capacity to impact market-oriented knowledge and skills.

    We will not take the familiar and easy route, though popular, but fraught with failure, in a matter that is as important as the future of our children.

    Today, we are happy to report that the students of the institute currently undergoing internship in world class agricultural companies across the state are for the first time, enjoying quality hands-on field training that will clearly put them ahead of their peers in the labour market, on graduation.

    Mr. Ebhuomhan also expressed fears over Governor Obaseki’s commitment to create 200,000 jobs, which the governor promised Edo people.

    Ebhuomhan need not worry; we will exceed the 200,000 jobs target. For clarification, our strategy for creating these jobs includes creating the enabling environment for industries and private companies to thrive in the state and create decent direct and indirect jobs and as at today, thousands of such jobs have been created. By the time we roll out our statistics of jobs, much of these quibbling will be silenced.

    If Mr. Evbhuomhan has been following global trends on job creation, he would appreciate the efforts of Governor Obaseki to reposition the respective government agencies that are supervising the influx of companies into Edo State.

    While the state government will employ new staff into the civil service, as is now being done with the recent vacancy advertisements by the Civil Service Commission, published in the VANGUARD Newspaper, page 8; OBSERVER Newspaper, page 19, NATION Newspaper page 32 on May 15th this year, most of the jobs will be created by the private companies.

    As you may be aware, construction has commenced in the 1800 Emotan Garden estate on Upper Sokponba Road in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.

    The first phase of the project is expected to be delivered in 12 months and already, the governor has secured a deal with steel and ceramic manufacturing companies in the state to supply their products to the developers of the estate.

    The implication of this deal is that the steel and ceramic companies have a ready market of 1800 housing units to produce for. To achieve this, the companies will increase their operational scale by employing more people to be able to produce and meet market demand. This sort of development chain reaction is what Obaseki is about.

    Meanwhile, that is just one of the many job creation strategies of the Obaseki administration. It is not politics; it is measurable and can be verified by anyone.

    If there is anything the governor has in sufficient proportion, it is the capacity to frugally allocate scarce resources for the best outcomes possible. This cannot be controverted and has never been in dispute.

    This capacity is today manifest in all spheres of our life in Edo, and has been re-echoed by World Bank experts, development actors and informed opinion and thought leaders in the education sector.

    As part of the ongoing restructuring of the Agric college, a new curriculum as well as new faculties have been developed by the state government, an exercise that was carried out by over 10 professors drawn from various tertiary institutions in the country, with expertise in curriculum development.

    The new international standard curriculum for the College is in compliance with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)’s provisions for curriculum. This will qualify the restructured college’s programmes for accreditation.

    Structurally, the college has been redesigned as a multi- campus institution with campuses spread across the three Senatorial Districts of the state, with the main campus in Iguoriakhi. Construction work is set to commence.

    The New College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, will give students and parents real value for their money with its new Information Technology-based curriculum and a rich educational resource center that will be linked to the world.

     

    Osagie, Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy

  • ‘Sacked workers were not doing their jobs’

    Edo State Government has explained that it sacked its employees at the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi because the affected workers were no longer doing their jobs.

    It said the number of staff in the college were higher than students in the institution.

    Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Monday Osaigbovo, who stated this in a chat with our reporter, said the school could not grow in a situation where the workers were always fighting.

    The sacked workers had last week led a street protest saying that the termination of their appointment did not follow due process.

    Osaigbovo stated that a revamped College of Agriculture would be unveiled before April next year.

    Read Also:Sacked workers: Union threatens to disrupt Aero Contractors’ operations

    He stated that the private sector is expected to play a role in the new College of Agriculture by building workshops in the school where students could go for practicals.

    The Agriculture Commissioner boasted that students to be trained from the new institution would be employers of labour.

    According to him, “The Governor took the action for laying off the workers and paying them as a result of the workers not doing their job. That is the basic truth. If you ask them, they belonged to different fighting factions. The school cannot grow in such a situation.

    “There was in fighting among the staff. There was no longer students in the school. The staff were more than the students. When you finish from a specialized school, you should be able to employ yourself or somebody will be running after you. That is how the school of Agriculture ought to be. That is what we want it to be.

    “Before the first quarter of next year. We are expecting a college that the students that graduate from there should be able to employ themselves and companies will be waiting for them to graduate to employ them. It is a college of both the private sector and government.

    “The role the private sector will play is that during the students programme, they will be going to the private firms for training. The private sector will be in the board of the school. They will have workshops in the school for practicals. We are bringing in a research institute like NIFOR. They will be part of the new College of Agriculture. Any students that finish from the new college do not need to be searching for jobs. They will employ themselves and also employ others.”

  • Obaseki sacks staff of College of Agriculture

    All staff of the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi in Ovia South West Local Government Area have been sacked.

    In August last year, Governor Godwin Obaseki announced closure of the institution with a promise to revamping the institution.

    Students of the institution were sent to several agricultural firms for industrial attachment and to be paid the sum of N20, 000 monthly.

    Sack of the staff was contained in a letter signed by the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Monday Osaigbovo and dated May 25, 2018.

    Osaigbovo in the letter titled, “Restructuring of the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi”, said the termination of the appointment was due to restructuring of the institution.

    According to the letter, “Restructuring of the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi. I am directed to refer to the above mentioned subject and to inform you that following the restructuring of the college of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi and its subsequent closure, government has decided that your services are no longer required with effect from 31st January, 2018.

    “You are requested to handover all government properties in your possession to the permanent secretary, ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources immediately.

    “Furthermore, I am to add that in line with your terms of engagement, your cheque for January 2018, monthly salary with one month in lieu of notice is herewith attached”, he said.

    The sacked staff however led a street protest saying their removal did not follow due process.

    A protest letter presented by the protesters, said there was no consultation with staff of the institution on the restructuring process neither was there any option of redeployment of staff to other ministry or institution before the massive sack letters were issued to them.

    “There was no due process followed by the governor in relieving us of our duties as permanent or confirmed staff in public service, as this contravenes the provisions of the public service rules.

    “By record of service, majority of the staff had put up to a minimum of ten years in service while others had put in almost twenty years and that since the governor visited the school on August 7, 2017 and its subsequent temporary closure till date, there is no evidence of any form of infrastructure or administrative restructuring by the governor as against the six months he promised during his visit,” the stated.

  • College of Agric Iguoriakhi: 48 students commence internship at NIFOR

    Not less than 48 students of the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, have been absorbed by the Nigerian Institute For Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) for a 3-month internship programme.

    This was disclosed in a letter signed by Mrs. M. E. Eighemhenrio, on behalf of the Acting Executive Director of the Institute and addressed to the Special Adviser on Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security Programme to the Governor, Prince Joe Okogie.

    The students join over 100 others who are being trained at the different agricultural institutions in the state, including Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, PRESCO Plc, Leventis Foundation’s Weppa Farm and the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria.

    In the letter, Mrs. Eighemhenrio said the 48 students posted to the institute have been absorbed, noting that the institution has “always accepted students from the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi for Industrial Training and wishes to continue to offer them space.”

    The postings are part of ongoing reforms by the Edo State Government to reposition the college to produce hands-on, well-rounded graduates to drive the government’s agricultural development initiatives.

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

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

  • Students commence training in rubber institute

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Kidnapped Edo Reverend Sisters hold thanksgiving Mass

    Kidnapped Edo Reverend Sisters hold thanksgiving Mass

    The Catholic Diocese of Benin Metropolitan See on Monday held a thanksgiving mass for the safe return of three Reverend Sisters and three aspiring Reverend sisters from kidnappers den in Ovia South West local government area.

    Gunmen had on November 3rd stormed the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Convent in Iguoriakhi, Ovia South West local government area and abducted their victims.

    The Reverend Sisters spent 53 days in the kidnappers den before they were rescued after their abductors fled.

    Those abducted were Sister Veronica Ajayi, Sister Roseline Isiocha and Sister Frances Udi while the aspirants were Maria Massingne, Anne Ocheni and Vivian Iwhu.

    Archbishop of Benin Catholic Diocese, Bishop Obinna Akubeze, urged the federal government to treat criminality as criminality.

    Bishop Akubeze said the mass was to thank God for answering their prayers they offered in faith.

    Akubeze said the federal government should act as a government when in dealing with crimes and issues of herdsmen.

    “Six of our sisters were kidnapped by unknown gunmen and we have been praying. We are thanking God for answering our prayers. Our prayers were effective and they were freed. We thanked the police and DSS. They really worked. The youths should be given jobs.

    “With faith in God, we saw it through. The government should act as government. They should treat criminality as criminality and all these nonsense of killing, kidnappings will stop. A herdsman cannot destroy your crops and kill you. Killing is a crime. Government should do their work.

    “The kidnappers should repent. If they continue their way, God will forgive them and they will join the society again. Some people want them to be killed but we want them to repent and begin to behave like good citizens.”

    Recounting their ordeal in the kidnappers den, Sister Veronica Ajayi described it as horrible and painful.

    Sister Ajayi said their constant prayers made one of the kidnappers wanted to learn the ways of God.

    She said, “The experience with the kidnappers has helped me to trust in God more. This expericnd will help me to help others keep their faith in God. We were sleeping when they came. When they were taking us away, I kept trusting that God has a reason for it. We were praying for the kidnappers.

    “They also say their own prayers. One of them wanted to learn our prayers. They did not say why we were kidnapped. We were praying for their conversion.”

    Edo State Deputy Governor, Hon Philip Shaibu, said the new security architecture being planned with security chiefs would secure all parts of the state.

    “We already have a security architecture with the security chiefs which we are working on to ensure all parts of the state is secured.

    “With the policy government has put in place for employment and expand our economy, we will be able to pull out a lot of these youth to the labour market. Kidnapping will be eradicated in Edo.“

  • Obaseki to revamp College of Agriculture , Edo State Polytechnic

    Obaseki to revamp College of Agriculture , Edo State Polytechnic

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured the people of Ovia South West Local Government Area of the state that the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi and Edo State Polytechnic Usen, will be revamped to enable it produce employable graduates.

    Obaseki gave the assurance at Ovia South West Local Government Council during the last leg of his thank-you-tour of the 18 Local Government Areas to appreciate party members for their votes and support.

    He said the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, was closed earlier because it was not worthy of being a school of agriculture due to its poor standard.

    “I shut down the school to enable me invest money and bring it up to standard. I will revamp the school so that the graduates will be employable.”

    He said he is in talks with Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) and PRESCO Plc., to join hands with his administration to revamp the school, help train students and provide them with employment.

    “I will provide allowance to the 261 students in the school and send them to farms for industrial training,” he promised.

    The governor said he was poised to revamp the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, to bequeath it with a conducive environment to train employable graduates.

    He promised to visit the school, after receiving the report of the committee set up to look at the overall management of the school.

    The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Edo State Chapter, Anselm Ojezua, thanked the people of Ovia South West for the warm reception given to the governor. He urged them to continue to support the Obaseki-led administration to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people in the state.

    The chairman of APC in the council area, Mr. Peter Ajayi, congratulated the governor and the party for the victory recorded in the last governorship election in the state.

    He urged the governor to carefully treat the report of the committee set up to look at the administrative and financial management of the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, to enable the administration re-position the school for greater heights.

    He appealed to the governor to repair some roads in the area, including Iguelaho, Iguekahen, Iguerahon, Madagbayo, Gbelebu, Usen-Ulorin-Ajegunle and Ugogui roads

    Receiving some decampees from other parties led by a former Chairman of the Council and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Aighobahi Monday, Governor Obaseki said APC is not a party that discriminates, urging them to join hands to lift the party to greater heights.