Tag: Monday Okpebholo

Legal adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Andrew Ewanta, has dismissed claims that the governor is delaying the appointment of a full cabinet pending the Supreme Court ruling on the 2023 governorship election.

Governor Okpebholo has so far appointed only nine commissioners since assuming office. Speaking in an interview in Akure, Ewanta clarified that the delay has no connection with the court case, stressing that the governor has not violated any constitutional provision, having appointed commissioners and special advisers into key ministries.

Ewanta explained that Governor Okpebholo inherited a backlog of challenges from his predecessor and is determined to appoint individuals capable of delivering on his five-point agenda without excuses.

Addressing issues surrounding the demolition of properties belonging to some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains over alleged cult-related activities, Ewanta said the matter is still under police investigation.

He also shed light on the slow pace of ongoing road projects, attributing it to the over N600 billion debt in road contracts left by former Governor Godwin Obaseki, noting that several contracts are under review. He assured that Governor Okpebholo remains committed to completing all inherited projects.

Read Also: Nigerian female footballers who have played in English Women’s Super League

According to him, “That is not the reason. If he were waiting for the Supreme Court judgment, he would not have appointed the first set of Commissioners. This is the first Governor in Edo history to announce some members of his cabinet on the day of inauguration. Heads of agencies have been appointed. The government is moving full throttle. Some people joined us from the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party. We have to accommodate them.

“When the government came on board, the debts the previous administration owed only for road contracts were over N600bn. In the twilight of that administration, they started awarding contracts to their cronies. Those are some of the things that are being looked at, and the Governor has made promises to communities.

On why the Governor changed his mind on the MOWAA project, Ewanta said it was not a change of mine, but that the Governor got a better perspective after the Assets Verification Committee submitted its report.

“The Governor never said he was going to revoke anything. He just expressed dismay with the manner some of those transactions were done. Edo State committed N3.5bn to the building of MOWAA. It provided premises. And again, the fact that you had to make a change of views, you had a hospital there, you had to demolish a hospital. I think that was what angered the Governor. It is not that he was going to abandon the project because of international interest involved, because funding for that place, more than 80% of the funds, comes from Europe. I mean, for lovers of art and the rest.

The Governor is already partnering with them, and he said all projects from the previous administration will be completed. He will complete them”

A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, has urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to use provisions of the Electricity Act to put a structure in place that would make Edo State enviable in the power industry.

Hon Ogbeide-Ihama said opportunities exist in Edo State for localised power solutions, mini grids, solar parks and distribution upgrades that could bring reliable energy to communities and small businesses.

Ogbeide-Ihama, who is Executive Director, Corporate Services of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), spoke at the 8th late Engr. Geoffrey O. Aiwerioba Public Lecture Series on Sunday, in Benin City, organised by the Benin Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).

He said the Electricity Act made it possible for Edo State to define its electricity growth trajectory by creating a bankable and liquid market.

Commending Governor Okpebholo for the ongoing infrastructural development in the state, the former lawmaker called for collaboration from the NSE and other stakeholders.

Read Also: Salis set to be first Nigerian in space, as astronauts converge for camp training

In his paper titled ‘Bridging the infrastructure gap: Strategies for sustainable development in Edo State,’ Ogbeide-Ihama said, “Infrastructure is everything, for example, power, health, education, all need infrastructure so the people of Edo State should take ownership and play a role in the way their affairs are run. The government of the day is already showing key examples like the first flyover.

“I urge the governor to continue the way he has started so that at the end of his tenure, we will be able to point to all the infrastructure that would have come to all sectors. NSE Benin Branch must rise to the occasion to partner with the government to ensure that this infrastructure deficit is closed out and infrastructure enhancement is brought up to boost the economy, GDP and the life of Edo people.

“Government should step up to try as much as possible to ensure that Edo State is one of the leading states to handle power within the state, from management to generation, to distribution and to make sure that there is light across the length and breadth of Edo.”

He also called for the enforcement of local content in all sectors of the country and not just in the oil and gas sector for faster development and.

National President of the NSE, Engr. Aina Oguntala, who was represented by Ademola Olorunfemi, said qualified engineers are in all government agencies and departments.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, yesterday exchanged banters over flooding in Benin City and environs.

Downpour of rain on Tuesday left parts of the state flooded. Houses were submerged while some major roads were impassable for several hours.

Okpebholo, through his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said recent scenes of widespread flooding in the city had led to questioning what happened to $150million former governor Godwin Obaseki claimed to have spent on flood control.

Read Also: How NASENI is powering the Nigeria First movement

But the PDP said it was unfortunate that an All Progressive Congress (APC) government, nearing its first year in office, could be calling on their predecessor in office, ‘like their messiah any time they are met with their many misfortunes which are mostly due to their ineptitude.’

Edo PDP Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, in a statement, said Okpebholo’s excuse for leaving Edo ungoverned and exposing the people to the elements of yearly relentless downpour of water, was a phantom mismanagement of some funds for erosion control under former Governor Obaseki’s government.

Edo state Governor Monday Okpebholo has presented 17 brand new 2025 model SUVs to local government chairmen to enhance grassroots service delivery statewide.

Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said Okpebholo was joined by the Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa and other top officials at the event on Saturday in Benin.

Okpebholo emphasised that his administration would not interfere with local government funds, adding that he allowed councils to drive development at the grassroots without constraints.

He criticised the previous administration for sidelining local governments, adding that his government recognised and empowered council chairmen with tools like the new SUVs to enable it to function better.

Okpebholo expressed gratitude to God for enabling chairmen to now enjoy brand new vehicles, describing it as a sign of progress in Edo.

He said the new development unfolded under President Bola Tinubu, stressing that Edo would soon rival cities like Lagos and Abuja in terms of growth.

Read Also: Ileya, four other popular festivals in Nigeria

The governor warned that the SUVs were not for personal use but strictly for public service.

He vowed to monitor their use across the local governments.

He added that council funds were untouched by the state, adding that performance would be measured based on visible outcomes aligned with financial allocations.

The Commissioner for Local Government, Lucky Eseigbe, praised Okpebholo for upholding local government autonomy and ensuring accountability and transparency in council operations.

Eseigbe noted the positive impact of the autonomy, highlighting new infrastructure like new classrooms, roads, and healthcare centres across the 18 local government areas.

According to him, this is the first time in Edo’s history that brand new SUVs 2025 models were purchased for all local government chairmen.

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has approved rehabilitation of over 45 failed portions on the Auchi-Igarra-Ibillo Federal Road, as part of moves to revive economic activities in towns and villages in Akoko-Edo Local Government.

The latest approval came yesterday according to the Chief Press Secretary to Edo Governor, Fred Itua.

The state government has completed the building of Ikiran-Oke Ikakhumoh Road, also in Akoko-Edo Council.

Read Also: Police extradite Nigerian fugitive from UAE Over $307,500 fraud

The strategic Auchi-Igara-Ibillo Road is one of the many deplorable federal roads in Edo State being rehabilitated by Okpebholo’s administration.

The road connects many communities in Akoko-Edo Local Government to the rest of the state, and serves as a link to Kogi and Ondo states.

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has said the state loses over $1 billion worth of investments annually, due to cult-related violence.

He said violence, driven by clashes among rival cults, had not only led to loss of lives and property, but also discouraged investments and tourism, ultimately slowing economic growth.

Okpebholo, yesterday in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said the high rate of cult-related violence in the last five years, long before he (Okpebholo) assumed office, caused substantial disruptions to economic activities, with investors and business owners growing wary of the security situation.

He said: “What we have witnessed in Edo was more than a threat to public peace. It was a significant drain on our economic potential.

“According to statistics by The Diaspora Commission, Edo State tops the list of states with the highest remittance from the diaspora. However, 95 per cent of the repatriated funds ended up in different states, because of cultism and other violent crimes, as our people in the diaspora were scared of coming home to invest. This loss in disposable income, closure of businesses and decline in tourism greatly impacted the state’s business climate.”

The governor noted that the state’s critical infrastructure and commercial centres were equally affected, with some businesses forced to shut down temporarily or permanently, owing to security concerns, while the fear of violence also deterred potential visitors, resulting in a downturn in hospitality, transportation and other tourism-related sectors.

Read Also: Tinubu hails British-Nigerians Bright, Jackson on mayoral inauguration in London

He said the narrative had changed since he declared war on cult-related violence.

Okpebholo said his efforts were already yielding results, with more stakeholders joining the support groups against cult-related violence.

He said Edo was regaining its lost glory, adding that sanity was being restored to the state.

The governor urged Edo sons and daughters in Nigeria and in the diaspora to bring their investments home and help in the economic development of the state.

He said: “My administration is restoring peace to Edo State, especially Benin City, where cult-related violence had held sway for too long. Our hardworking sons and daughters in Nigeria and in the diaspora can now bring their investments to their home land, Edo State.

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo yesterday called on Inspector-General (IG) Kayode Egbetokun and Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) Oluwatosin Ajayi to arrest and prosecute one Olorogun Ese Kakor over alleged forgery of official state government documents.

Kakor, according to a statement by Okpebholo’s media aide, Fed Itua, is the President of the Neo Black Movement (NBM) of Africa.

In his petition, the governor accused Kakor of forging government documents which falsely claimed to authorize him to provide assistance to schools in Edo South Senatorial District.

The act, Okpebholo said, was not only fraudulent but a direct assault on the integrity of the state’s administrative processes.

Describing the act as criminal and deceitful, he said the alleged forgery was carried out in connivance with certain low-level civil servants within the state bureaucracy.

He noted that those civil servants implicated in the forgery have already been identified and taken into custody and a police investigation is currently underway to determine their level of culpability.

Okpebholo, who vowed that all those found culpable will be prosecuted in accordance with the law, insisted that the land title on which the NBM headquarter was erected in Edo State has been revoked, citing the organisation’s alleged involvement in violent crimes and unlawful activities within the state.

The governor urged both the Nigeria Police Force and the DSS to intensify their efforts in curbing the operations of groups allegedly involved in criminality and to ensure that those responsible for these acts are brought to justice.

READ ALSO: Awka: trader vs professor

The statement reads: “By publicly aligning themselves with the structure of black axe and its usage, they have confirmed their association with the actions coordinated from the premises—thus paving the way for lawful prosecution.

“The building in question was not just a regular structure, it was a hub for planning and executing violent attacks across Benin metropolis and other parts of Edo State. No responsible government will watch helplessly as criminal enclaves flourish under its watch.

“The demolition of the property was a direct response to actionable intelligence, and it was carried out in line with the provisions of the Anti-cultism Law, duly passed by the 8th Edo State House of Assembly.

“In response to recent claims by the group that its members renovated six public schools in Edo State since Okpebholo assumed office as governor, the government demands a full disclosure.”