The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mr Godwin Obaseki

  • Obaseki to Education Ministry: Provide sanitary, water facilities in public schools

    Obaseki to Education Ministry: Provide sanitary, water facilities in public schools

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has instructed the state’s Ministry of Education to commence the upgrade of facilities in public schools across the state.  

    Obaseki disclosed this when he hosted the Old Girls’ Association of Itohan Girls Grammar School, who was at the Government House, Benin City, on a courtesy visit to the governor.

    He said, “the Ministry of Education has been instructed to commence work on the upgrade of facilities in all schools in the state. The focus of the project will include the provision of toilets and boreholes.”

    Obaseki added that this will enable students acquire knowledge in a conducive environment for better learning outcomes, adding, “when toilet facilities and boreholes are provided in schools, it will encourage students to focus more on their studies.”

    “The Ministry of Education will ensure contractors commence these projects by ensuring that they carry out surveys to identify schools where toilets and boreholes are needed. When this is completed, we will ensure that the contractors continue with work to provide the schools with the facilities they require,” he said.

    The governor assured the association of his administration’s commitment to improve the quality of education in the state, as their alma mater, Itohan Girls Grammar School, will benefit from renovation of schools to be carried out in 2018.

    The president, Old Girls Association, Itohan Girls Grammar School, Dr. Margaret Abikwi, commended the governor for the strides recorded during his one year in office, urging him not to relent in his vision to transform the state.

    Abikwi said, “We are here to identify with you and the good work you are carrying out in the state. Your commitment to envisioning an economically viable Edo is commendable. Your administration’s drive for skills-based basic education is praiseworthy.”

  • Edo to move against human trafficking cartel – Obaseki 

    Edo to move against human trafficking cartel – Obaseki 

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has described human trafficking as the greatest security challenge facing his administration and has vowed to deploy the state’s powers and resources to break the hold of the human trafficking cartel on Edo youths and end the illicit trade.

    Obaseki said this when he received a delegation of the management and members of Edo Forum of Patriots (EFP), led by the chairman, Patriot Aiyamenkhue Edokpolor, who paid a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House in Benin City.

    “Human Trafficking has become a security threat in the state as over 10,000 young men and women were trafficked in a space of 12 months and more than 30 per cent of them lost their lives in the process,” he lamented.

    The governor told his guests that “human trafficking is one disaster that has befallen us as a people since the European invasion of 1897,” noting that “Even before the invasion, Edo people were never sold into slavery because we had a very powerful army.”

    According to him: “For us to start selling ourselves into slavery, means something fundamental has happened and much has gone wrong.  We cannot fold our hands, keeping mute as if nothing is happening is even scarier. As a government we took actions and some persons on social media are condemning our actions, I think those people should be arrested for aiding the crime.”

    Obaseki further said that the tales of the returnees are disheartening as “one cannot but weep for their harrowing experiences, who are deceived and moved from Nigeria by a cartel and syndicate who trade these people like common commodities.”

    He assured that his administration will not relent in the fight and would mobilise the state’s resources to make sure the scourge is brought under control.

    Earlier, the chairman of Edo Forum of Patriots, Patriot  Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo, said since the governor mounted the saddle of governance in the state, he has demonstrated extraordinary commitment towards the progress, and well-being of Edo people and the state at large.

    “We have set up a security and economic summit central planning committee to consult and seek collaboration with the Edo State Government and relevant agencies of the federal government for realistic solutions to our socio-economic challenges,” Edokpolor said.

  • Edo set to develop Health Master Plan

    Edo set to develop Health Master Plan

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has revealed plans to constitute a council on health, which will assist in developing a Strategic Master Plan on Health and to coordinate activities of healthcare service providers in the state.

    Obaseki disclosed this when he played host to members of the Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria, at the Government House, Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Tuesday.

    He said: “the state plans to develop a strategic health master plan to enable her outline various services offered by the health care service providers. We intend to involve qualified health professionals to assist us develop a master plan in the health sector. This will transform the health sector and make it more efficient as all elements needed to achieve this are available in the state.”

    Obaseki assured that the state government is set to reform the health sector and strengthen it to deliver quality health care services to Edo people, adding, “the focus for us is to strengthen primary health care service delivery through collaboration with private investors. We also intend to improve secondary and tertiary healthcare service delivery in the future.“

    Chairman, Edo State Branch of the Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria, Sir. Oyaseh Ivowi, who led members of his association to the Government House, noted, “Edo State, which was the first to establish a state health and hospital management board in Nigeria with a network of hospitals and health care centers and clinics across every nook and cranny of the state, needs to develop a master plan for the health sector.”

    Ivowi said that the master plan will assist the state monitor various healthcare providers in the state, ensure that they provide quality health services and provide insight to inform siting of health institutions where they are mostly required.

    “A situation where health centres spring-up indiscriminately signifies a dangerous trend. Such centres will likely be offering unprofessional healthcare services,” he said.

  • Obaseki approves health centers in markets

    Obaseki approves health centers in markets

    …Reaffirms commitment to curb Neonatal deaths

     

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has approved the establishment of primary health care centres in major markets in the state, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to significantly reduce neonatal mortality.

    Obaseki said this at the 3rd Stakeholders’ Meeting on Implementation of Action Plan on Prevention of Neonatal Deaths in Edo state, organised by the Reduce Neonatal Deaths Initiative, a pet project of his wife, Mrs. Betsy, held at the Government House, Benin City.

    He said, “Neonatal mortality is a serious challenge in the healthcare system due to the loss of life at birth. We must all join hands to address child mortality because it negatively impacts the economy in the long run.

    “We are prioritising reforms in primary healthcare to address the burden of neonatal mortality. Part of our plans is to rehabilitate and reconstruct at least one Primary Healthcare Centre in each ward across the state by next year. I have also instructed that at least a Primary Health Care centre be sited in every major market, particularly those in the urban centres,” he added.

    Obaseki assured the stakeholders of his resolve to efficiently utilise scarce resources to support and improve primary healthcare services, adding, “initiatives which bring stakeholders and experts together to provide solutions to the problem of neonatal death should be assisted to achieve their aims. This will improve the healthcare system of the state.”

    Wife of the governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, commended the stakeholders, who have continued to show commitment to advancing the objectives of her pet project.

    According to her, “efforts to address neonatal mortality in the state will certainly be a success judging by your contributions, zeal, and courage. This will assist the state to reduce neonatal deaths and become a model for other states to emulate.”

    Project Coordinator, Reduce Neonatal Deaths Initiative, Dr. Bridget Okoeguale, said the project will help in addressing the problem of neonatal death as Nigeria records the second largest incidence of neonatal mortality with a rate of 5.1 percent.

    She commended the Federal Government for training health workers drawn from various parts of the country, noting that the plan for the trainees to train others is a welcome development.

    She said 12 health workers, who benefited from the training, are billed to train 96 other health workers to be selected from the state.

  • Surge of illegal migration caused by failure of critical institutions – Obaseki

    Surge of illegal migration caused by failure of critical institutions – Obaseki

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the current surge in illegal migration is as a result of the lack of critical institutions to equip youths with requisite skills to survive in a globalised world.

    Obaseki said this when he received Senior Participants of Course 40, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, led by Rear Admiral Kamarudeen Lawal, who were on a courtesy visit to Government House, Benin City.

    Obaseki said practical steps must be taken to control Nigeria’s population and opportunities created to engage youths to stem the menace of illegal migration and avert future crisis.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts at diversifying the economy has created opportunities for youth empowerment.

    He explained that there is a strong linkage between education and youth empowerment, and that it was unfortunate that politicians often fail to emphasise the importance of basic education in moulding minds that can make informed decisions.

    “People that had no business in classrooms were hired to teach in primary schools. This created a generation, where illiterates taught children while they are at critical stage of their life,” he said.

    Noting that there was need for reorientation of youths to be self-driven and motivated, he said, “Part of the challenges we deal with today are caused by youths, who have not been given quality education at the foundation level – that is, basic education – as this level of education prepares one to face the challenges of life.”

    He said Edo people are confident, but some of the youths are deceived by people who lure them with tales of better life outside the country.

    “Statistics shows that last year alone, over 10,000 youths from Edo State alone were trafficked to Europe and at least 3,000 of them would have died traveling through dangerous routes to Europe. This certainly is a threat to national security. Our people are sold as slaves,” he added.

    Obaseki said his administration is encouraging indigenes of the state to come home as his government has built structures to reintegrate them into society, noting, “As they come, we now have an opportunity to retrain them, using them as ambassadors to dissuade others from embarking on the dangerous journey”.

    Earlier, the team leader of the tour to Edo State, Rear Admiral Kamarudeen Lawal, commended the governor and people of the state for the hospitality and warm reception the team received on arrival, stating that they are billed to visit eight other states.

    He said the College makes annual environmental study tours to selected states, as part of its curriculum for the Senior Course for the College, adding, “During the visit, students of the College are expected to research into critical areas of the social economic life of the people that have direct impact on national development or national security.”

    He explained that the theme for this year’s tour is “National Security and Youth Empowerment,” and said that the visit will afford students opportunity to carry out on-the-spot assessment of the Edo State Government’s efforts to empower youths for national security and development.

  • Obaseki to commence payment of outstanding Pension Arrears

    Obaseki to commence payment of outstanding Pension Arrears

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has expressed his readiness to commence the payment of the outstanding pension arrears his administration inherited from past governments, dating back to the years the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held sway.

    Obaseki’s decision is in fulfillment of his earlier promise to settle the outstanding pension arrears of the State Government pensioners in phases.

    Conveying the governor’s approval, the Office of the Head of Service in the Edo State Government, in a circular signed by the permanent secretary/chairman Pension Bureau, I.D.S. Juwobor, on Thursday, explained that the payments will begin with pensioners in Batches 37 and 38.

    “In order to ensure that only bonafide pensioners are paid, all pensioners in the aforementioned batches 37 and 38 are invited to present themselves for physical and documentary verification at the small hall of Imaguero College, Sapele Road, Benin City on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th December, 2017 at 9:00 am each day,” the letter directed.

    The letter advised the affected pensioners to: “Check the list of pensioners in the indicated batches at the Office of the Head of Service on Monday 4th and Tuesday 5thNovember, 2017 and come to the venue of the verification exercise with the following: Pension Authority; Retirement Letter; Letter of First Appointment; Pension Identity Card; Biometric Slip; and Bank details including bank name and Account Number.”

    The circular added that “immediately upon the conclusion of the verification exercise, the outstanding pension arrears will be credited into the pension account of each pensioner.”

    Recall that the clamor for the pension arrears by Edo pensioners few months into Governor Obaseki’s administration was hijacked by members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which sponsored several protest marches at the Ring Road in Benin City, despite the state government’s repeated explanation that the arrears would be paid in batches.

    The governor therefore called on the good people of Edo State to trust his administration and not pay attention to detractors who want to politicize an issue as sensitive as the entitlements of the state’s senior citizens.

     

  • Obaseki felicitates with Muslims on Eid-El-Maulud

    Obaseki felicitates with Muslims on Eid-El-Maulud

    As Muslims mark the Eid-El-Maulud celebration, the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has urged them to reflect on and emulate the good nature, show love, and imbibe teachings of tolerance of Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W).

    In the statement, Obaseki said the celebration of the birth of Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W) is a time for Muslim faithful to rededicate themselves to the teachings of the prophet not just as a matter of religious obligation but also a recipe for peaceful coexistence in society.

    The governor urged Muslims to pray for the peace and progress of the state and the country, adding that the need for prayers is pertinent to set the country on the right course.

    According to Obaseki, “I celebrate with our Muslim brothers and sisters in Edo State, in Nigeria and across the globe on this day set aside to mark the celebration of the birthday of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W).”

    He said “the occasion should remind us all of the virtues of the Prophet, which we should emulate in advancing love, peace and progress of the state and country. That Muslims constitute a major force for peace and progress wherever they may be, signifies the import of the Prophet’s message.”

    He encouraged Muslims to continue to eschew acts and behaviours that undermine the unity and progress in society, just as the Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W) would, urging them to be good neighbours and enviable ambassadors of change.

    Obaseki reassured Muslims of his commitment to creating an environment where everyone would have a fair chance of contributing to his administration, promising them of a conducive atmosphere to mark the celebration in the state.

    He, however, appreciated Muslims for supporting his administration’s policies and programmes aimed at improving the state’s economy and assuring prosperity for all in the 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