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Tag: Mr Godwin Obaseki

  • Vlisco, Obaseki heighten talks to locate factory in Benin Industrial Park

    … as Edo aims to become textile Hub

     

    The Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that fruitful negotiations are ongoing to attract Vlisco, one of West Africa’s largest textile companies to set up at Benin Industrial Park (BIP), as the state plans to reposition the state as a textile hub in the country.

    He stated this when he received the executive members of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, Edo State Chapter, led by the chairman, Comrade Isaiah Okungbowa, who were in Government House on a courtesy visit.

    Read Also:Igarra Bank Robbery: Obaseki visits victims

    The Benin Industrial Park is a landmark industrial complex being developed by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration close to Benin City, that is set to stimulate large scale industrialisation and create wealth for Edo people and residents. The park, which is expected to cover 996 hectares of land, will host textile, agro-processing, equipment manufacturing and other industries.

    The governor said his administration is focused on building the manufacturing hub, which will be sited in a secure environment, where there will be stable electricity supply, water, and other basic needs to enhance the ease of doing business and allow members of the union to work 24 hours a day to allow for mass production.

    Noting that the state is keen on becoming a textile hub, he said, “We are negotiating to attract one of the largest textile companies (Vlisco Textile) to Edo State to reside at the industrial park, in Iyanomo, to make the state a textile hub in Nigeria.”

    “We want to develop the state and create wealth for Edo people by increasing economic activity in the state. We want to ensure our state is developed and promote an environment that attracts investors to contribute to the development of the state,” he added.

    He assured that his administration will make it a policy to allow the union sew uniforms of students in the state to deepen government’s partnership with members of the union.

    Earlier, leader of the delegation, Comrade Isaiah Okungbowa thanked the governor for his continued support for them, stressing that they will continue to play their role in supporting the administration.

    He commended the governor for his drive to create 200,000 jobs for the people of the state and expressed the readiness of the union to partner with his administration.

    He appealed for the establishment of a cottage fashion industry, which can be managed by the union.

  • Obaseki, World Bank firm up partnership on agriculture

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the deepening of partnership with the World Bank in agricultural development would usher the state into a new era of prosperity, which will directly impact on the lives of Edo people.

    The governor, who said this during a lunch with a team from the World Bank at the Government House in Benin City, noted that the state government has implemented crucial reforms to engender transparency, probity, and accountability in public finance and policy implementation.

    The visiting World Bank team consists of its Agricultural Economist, Adetunji Oredipe and Lead Financial Management Specialist, Governance Global Practice, Parminder Brar.

    Read Also:http://staging.thenationonlineng.net/world-bank-asks-nigeria-to-raise-non-oil-tax-collection/

    The meeting is coming on the heels of extensive engagements with top hierarchy of the World Bank, which has sent expanded teams to the state in the last couple of months, to assess the progress of development efforts and landmark projects such as the Edo-Azura Power Project, which the Bretton Woods institution is a major partner.

    According to the governor, the state government has ensured the implementation of reforms that have made the state attractive to investors and development partners, who have committed to invest in capacity building, technical education, innovation and technology development as well as in attaining the sustainable development goals in the state.

    He added that the focus on technical education has attracted investment from the World Bank, in the rehabilitation project, which will see the school offer top-of-the-range education in technical areas, and award globally-respected certificates to the students.

    The state government has been pursuing a multipronged agricultural development plan, which led to a recent visit to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

    At the meeting with IITA Director General (DG), Nteranya Sanginga, Governor Obaseki reiterated his administration’s vision was to establish a cassava production zone of at least 50,000 hectares where cassava will be produced and processed with the active participation of smallholder farmers and the private sector.

    He demanded an actionable plan from IITA, that will guide the state in becoming a hub of agricultural development in the region.

    The World Bank team assured the governor of continued support on his developmental projects, noting that the World Bank will support the state’s reforms for the benefit of the people.

     

  • Obaseki proffers technical education as panacea to youth unemployment

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the absence of a robust, well-modelled quality technical and vocational education is responsible for the frightening national unemployment figures.

    Governor Obaseki said this while delivering the 2018 National Alumni Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, in Trenchard Hall, Ibadan, on Friday.

    Read Also:Obaseki approves training for teachers on use of digital teaching

    Other eminent Nigerians that have delivered the National Alumni Lecture include former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Grace Alele-Williams; the immediate-past National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief John Odigi-Oyegun; the late Chief Bola Ige and Gamaliel Onosode, amongst others.

    In the lecture entitled, Technical Education and Skills Acquisition As Imperative for Youth Empowerment, Obaseki said that a lot has to be done to change the perception of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) by fostering public support, redesigning the institutions and putting them under quality management.

    On his return to the school for the Alumni Lecture, the governor, who graduated from the university in 1976, said “It is indeed a great pleasure to return to this great institution, an intellectual haven that molded me in the very best traditions of research, leadership, administration, the arts, understanding of the values of life and the centrality of human progress as the measure of labour.”

    According to him, “we have neglected technical and vocational education for far too long.  The discrimination that polytechnic graduates still suffer after graduation is a clear illustration of this situation.  Many technical schools have been converted to regular schools to produce all sorts of “certificates”.

    “Others are simply glorified institutions with nothing technical about them; certainly not in the curriculum, not in technology nor in the faculties, facility and general infrastructure.  In this way, we have gradually lost the vision and mission of producing a cadre of skilled young Nigerians to perform technical responsibilities in government, industry and general services.

    “It is no wonder therefore, that many foreign investors bring their own staff using legal and underhand tactics to comply with or evade the quota system for expatriate labour.”

    On reforms in the TVET sub-sector in the state, he said, “We closed and redesigned the Government Science and Technical College in Benin, and we are currently rebuilding it to reflect contemporary requirements for a full-fledged technical college.  We have equally redesigned the courses to make them demand-driven. The World Bank being impressed by these strides has contributed 1.2 Million Dollars (400 Million Naira) to this project and is set to invest an additional 2.7 Million Dollars (one billion Naira) in the coming year.”

    He said the state government is carrying out surgical restructuring on the tertiary institutions, which include the restructuring of the state College of Agriculture into three new campuses in Iguoriakhi (Edo South), Uromi (Edo Central) and Agenebode (Edo North) as well as the Edo State Polytechnic in Usen (formerly Institute of Management and Technology), which is being repurposed to serve the needs of the state and the private sector.

    On the state government’s job creation drive, he said, “In order to further create stronger linkages between industry and job seekers, one of the first initiatives of my government was to create EdoJobs, an initiative that has now evolved into a Skills Development Centre.  The objective was first, to obtain data on the numbers, qualifications, locations, and interests of Edo youths.  Second, was to provide training and employability support, and the third was to match the trained youths with private sector employers through the new synergy we have established. So far, over 45,000 jobs have been created through self-employment or placements with the private sector.”

    Noting that there has been an aggressive drive to reposition the state as an investment destination, he said, “The State Government has designed a development strategy based on widespread consultation with stakeholders.  Based on our six thematic pillars – Institutional Reform, Economic Revolution, Infrastructure Development, Socio-welfare Enhancement, Environmental Sustainability and Culture and Tourism.

    “We have commenced the design and the development of a 996 hectares Industrial Park and development of the Benin River Port. We have also successfully launched a new industrial programme including revision of incentives to investors, introduction of new technology in revenue collection, establishing a Public Private Partnership office and an Edo Investment Promotion Bureau, initiating an Ease of Doing Business campaign and establishing an Industrial Park.”

    Earlier, the National President, University of Ibadan Alumni Association, Dr. Kemi Emina, said that Governor Obaseki’s leadership style in Edo stood him out for this year’s lecture.

    Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, said that the number of graduates produced yearly requires a well-planned strategy to integrate them into the Nigerian economy.

    Olayinka said graduates would need to augment their education with technical education and vocational training to be able to surmount the challenge of unemployment.

     

  • Obaseki showcases 1800 Emotan Gardens, land, education reforms

    With less than four weeks to the 27th edition of the Edo National Association Worldwide (ENAW) Convention, holding in Toronto, Canada, the Edo State Government is set to parade her achievements in the housing, education and other sectors at the event.

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, will lead the state’s delegation to the Toronto convention, which has become the single largest assemblage of Edo professionals and experts living and working in the diaspora, and forms a large part of the state’s critical mass.

    Read Also:Job Creation: Obaseki assures Edo youths of preference

    At a strategy meeting between representatives of MIXTA Africa, the joint venture partner in the development of the 1800-unit Emotan Gardens, and representatives of the state government, Executive Chairman, Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA), Isoken Omo, assured that a mix of engagement strategies would be deployed in the state government’s effort to meet the housing and other needs of Edo people in the diaspora.

    “The Edo State Government and her partners are upbeat about the Emotan Gardens and similar housing projects coming on stream soon. It is an opportunity many of our people have been waiting for to acquire decent housing through a very transparent process devoid of encumbrances,” Omo said.

    She explained that “the appeal of Emotan Gardens has been phenomenal, as would-be subscribers are just waiting for us to open sales. Governor Obaseki is passionate about this product and will be exhibiting it at the ENAW Convention.”

    Also, at the meeting, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, said “the governor will also be showcasing the technology-based teaching method, which is a component of the Edo State Basis Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) initiative.”

    The governor’s aide added that “Edo is the first and only state that has deployed the technology in public primary schools in Nigeria.”

    According to him, “Another sector that will feature in the governor’s presentation at the ENAW Convention is the peace being enjoyed by developers following the signing of the Private Property Protection Law, which has abolished the activities of Community Development Association (CDAs).

    “The sanity in the built sector now is beyond compare and we are happy to report a new era devoid of crisis over land and building construction across the state.

    “The abolition of CDAs was thought impossible considering the influence the members weighed and many Edo people could not build houses because of the activities of these misguided youths.”

    The four-day Toronto convention, the 27th in the series, will hold from August 31 – September 3.

     

  • Obaseki awards reconstruction of Ugbor-Amagba road

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has announced the award of contract for the reconstruction of Ugbor- Amagba Road in Benin City, which will bring to an end the frustration experienced by users of the road.

    Obaseki who made this known during a courtesy visit by the Registrar, West African Examination Council (WAEC), Dr. Uyi Uwadiae, in Government House, Benin City, assured that the reconstruction work would last 12 months.

    The governor explained that the request for the reconstruction of the Ugbor-Amagba Road received the blessing of the Edo State Executive Committee, in line with his administration’s commitment to invest in infrastructure and enhance the quality of life of Edo people and residents in the state.

    Earlier, the WAEC Registrar, expressed his excitement about the governor’s decision to reconstruct the Ugbor-Amaga Road, which also links the South-South Computer-based Centre of the examination body.

    Uwadiae explained that following the federal government’s approval to partner with WAEC in setting up Computer-based Test Centres in each of the six geopolitical zones in the country, the South-South Centre was sited in Ugbor area of Benin City, and would take six hundred candidates.

    He noted that the road, when constructed will make access to the examination facility easier for candidates.

    Uwadiae maintained that the decision to bring cutting-edge technology to the doorsteps of stakeholders in the education sector was informed by current global trends such as e-testing and e-marking.

    Obaseki further assured of his administration’s readiness to extend other forms of support to WAEC in order to raise the standard of education in the state.

    He shared with his guests, the progress so far recorded by the state with the deployment of technology in teaching, a component of the Edo State Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme.

    He charged the WAEC registrar and other members of his team to address the issue of examination malpractice among students.

  • Job Creation: Obaseki assures Edo youths of preference

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured qualified youths in the state of preferential treatment in the new economic order taking shape in the state.

    Obaseki gave the assurance during the courtesy visit by the Association of Esan Professionals (AEP), at Government House, in Benin City.

    He said that youths sponsored by AEP for training on welding and fabrication would be linked to firms where their skills would be put to effective use.

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    “I want to assure you that we will support you and give priority to the youth whose training on welding and fabrication you sponsored, particularly on the projects we are working on.

    “I believe that the modular refinery where work has already started will require fabrication work. We will be introducing them to our partners in that transaction,” the governor told his guests.

    He commended members of the association for sponsoring youths for the training, noting, “I thank you for your selflessness and interest in our people. You have been able to raise money from your own resources to train youth on welding and fabrication and it is most commendable.”

    “Thank you for the effort you are making. I want to inform you that we will obtain their data for our job portal, EdoJobs, and see how we can match them with jobs in the state,” he added.

    Earlier, President of the association, Mr. Sam Obaze, explained that the group’s decision to sponsor 10 youths from Esanland at the Petroleum Technology Institute (PTI) in Warri, was to complement governor Obaseki’s initiative to engage youths in productive activity.

    Obaze said, “I wish to reiterate that your desire to engage Edo youths productively received a boost when 10 Esan youths, sponsored by our association, were decorated with PTI’s Skills Acquisition Proficiency Certificates in welding and fabrication, after nine months of training.”

    He commended the governor for reinstating the Onojie of Uromi, noting, “the people of Esanland thank you most sincerely for this gesture and wish to assure you of our continuous and sustained support.”

  • Obaseki lauds Cultural Heritage Centre

    …as free Edo Language summer class opens in Benin

     

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has expressed his administration’s readiness to give Edo Culture its pride of place by promoting the teaching of Edo Language in schools and colleges across the state.

    The Governor who was represented by his Arts, Culture Tourism and Diaspora Affairs Commissioner, Hon. Osaze Osemwegie-Ero, made the assertion in Benin City, the Edo State capital, during the launching of the first Benin Heritage Centre’s Free Edo Language Summer School for Children.

    The governor, who reaffirmed his vision to ensure that every Edo child speaks and understands Edo Language, added that the teaching of the language in primary and secondary schools will expose the child to the norms and values enshrined in the Edo Culture.

    “Governor Godwin Obaseki is fully in support of our indigenous language. He has promised to promote the centre, particularly in providing an enabling environment for Free Edo Language Summer School.”

    While congratulating the organisers of the programme, he urged all Edo children to avail themselves of the opportunity of the training, stressing that it would give them a sense of pride and identity.

    Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Benin Cultural Heritage Centre and the Enogie of Evbuobanosa and Abudu, HRH, Prof. Gregory Akenzua, said the centre, which was established 10 years ago, is aimed at restoring the Edo Language and making sure that all children both in Nigeria and the diaspora understand and speak Benin Language.

    He added that the centre would also provide an avenue for Edo children to know about their rich cultural heritage and be abreast of the folklores, stories and wise sayings of Edo people.

    The President of the centre, Ehi Ighile, said the programme is geared towards awakening the interest in Edo Language by making it free of tuition fee, transportation, textbooks and feeding costs.

  • Obaseki accuses BEDC of frustrating power purchase deal for Edo

    …Decries poor service, over-billing

     

    The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Thursday accused the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) of frustrating a power deal with Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Company Limited, to supply electricity to government offices in the state capital.

    Obaseki who disclosed this at the 4th National Council on Power event, holding in the state, decried the poor supply of electricity to the state, the company’s resolve not to supply pre-paid meters to electricity consumers and its culture of over-billing its clients.

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    According to the governor, BEDC in the last 12 months has been writing petitions against the deal sealed between Edo State Government and Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Company Limited, for the purchase of five megawatts of electricity to light up government offices in Benin City, and stressed that the petitions have hindered the success of the purchase agreement.

    He explained that no community in the state enjoys more than eight hours of electricity supply daily despite her status as the power hub of the country.

    “195 communities have never seen electricity as BEDC is not ready to extend electricity to these communities. 128 communities have issues of collapse of infrastructure which BEDC is not prepared to fix. 219 transformers purchased by the state government and the former Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) as replacements for faulty transformers are yet to be installed by BEDC,” Obaseki said.

    He informed that the electricity distribution company has continued to deliver poor services to Edo people and maintained that evidence abound of deliberate attempt on the part of BEDC not to sell or distribute meters to customers.

    He added that as a government “we have extended our cooperation to resolve some of these problems, but the company has remained uncooperative.

    “The people are over-billed with the estimated billing system of BEDC. We lost a student due to the negligence of BEDC, for refusing to fix a pole that was knocked down after receiving money to fix it. I have instructed the Attorney General of Edo State to file charges of criminal negligence against the senior management of BEDC,” Obaseki said.

    Earlier, the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Louis Edozien, expressed his appreciation to the people of Edo State for the hospitality extended to the power conference participants.

    He lauded Obaseki’s approach to governance as attested to by Edo people and residents, and explained that the country currently produces 7,000MW of electricity, but regretted that it is only able to distribute 5,000MW, leaving the country with unused 2,000MW, due to transmission challenges.

  • Edo Innovation Hub maps sustainability path

    …Completes training for 724 entrepreneurs

     

    The Edo State Government-backed Edo Innovation Hub, a cluster for innovators and inventors in Benin City, has trained at least 724 entrepreneurs in less than three months of operation and has now drawn up a sustainability plan that will see the private sector drive activities at the cluster.

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at the launch of the hub in June, noted that the government is priming youths to evolve and strengthen the technology ecosystem in the state. He added that the state is going to leverage on technology for job creation and enterprise development.

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    In a statement, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Job Creation and Skills Development, Mrs. Ukinebo Dare, said that the facility houses the South-South Innovation Hub with two halls, five training rooms, six fully-furnished co-working spaces, four rooms with a total of 100 computers, offices, conference rooms, outdoor workspaces, among others.

    She said of the 724 entrepreneurs, “200 females are being trained by Microsoft and Tech4Dev; 32 persons participated in LinkedIn MeetUp sessions to build a vibrant business community and leverage networking for local and international businesses; 49 budding app developers participated in Curators University’s Artificial Intelligence boot camp; 23 developers were trained by Hotels.NG on coding and app development.

    “Other partners include Makers Academy, who trained 40 students on robotics; Pan Atlantic University University’s Enterprise Development Centre, trained 59 entrepreneurs on entrepreneurship and innovation; Siemens, Impact Hub conducted pre-hackathon orientation for 25 aspiring entrepreneurs in the power sector while Microsoft took 50 teachers on Basic Digital Literacy for Teachers.”

    She said that there is a sustainability plan in place to ensure that the private sector takes the lead in the growth of the state’s technology ecosystem, adding that trainings and business incubation would continue at the facility.

    She added that ATC Nigeria donated three fully equipped ICT centers in Benin, Irrua and Ekpoma, to deepen the penetration of tech-driven development across the state.

    Explaining that a good number of the firms at the hub have expressed interest for long-term partnership with the state government, she said that the state government is exploring the option of a trust fund to sustain the hub.

  • Edo JAAC records N5m increase in councils’ IGR

    … Declares N2.9bn for June

     

    The Edo State Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) has recorded N5 million increase in Internally Generated Revenue of the local councils for the month of June, which formed part of the N2.9 billion declared as the total allocation that accrued to the state for the sixth month of the year.

    This was disclosed by the Chairman, Oredo Local Government Area, Hon. Evbareke Jenkins Osunde, at the end of the JAAC meeting presided over by the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki.

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    Osunde noted that the internally generated revenue in local councils increased from N206 million recorded in May to N211 million recorded in June 2018.

    He explained that, “Teachers’ salaries deducted for the month was N1,081,654,814.22, contribution for pension stood at N264, 115, 845.36, while pension arrears paid was N100 million.”

    Osunde said the total deduction was N1, 979, 354, 951.11; while net allocation was N1, 001, 089, 151.83.

    The Oredo Council boss lauded Governor Obaseki for assisting local councils with the payment of workers’ salary for the month of June.

    “It is important to note that because of the deadlock in the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings over the revenue for June, Governor Obaseki made money available for the payment of staff salary in the local government councils in the state. We greatly appreciate him for that,” he added.