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Tag: Obaseki

  • Obaseki sends commissioner nominees’ list to Assembly

    Obaseki sends commissioner nominees’ list to Assembly

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has sent the list of his commissioner nominees to the State House of Assembly for confirmation.

    The Governor, in a letter to the Speaker of the House, Justin Okonoboh, said nominees are from the 18 local government areas in the state.

    The nominees are – Yekini Idayi (Akoko-Edo), Paul Ohonbamu (Egor), Hon. Christopher Adesotu (Ovia South West), Mrs. Magdalene Ohenhen (Esan South East), Barr. Emmanuel Usoh (Esan North East), Mr. Jimoh Ijegbai (Owan East), Mr. Joseph Ugheoke (Estako Central), Mariam Abubakar (Estako West), Mika Amanokhai (Estako East) and Monday Osaigbovo (Ovia North East).

    Others are – Mr. Osazee Ero (Orhionmwon), David Osifo (Uhunmwode), Barr. E. Agbale (Esan Central), Mr. Osagie Inegbedion (Igueben), Prof. Yinka Omoregbe (Oredo), Reginald Okun, Edorodion O and Mr. A. Osahon.

    The Speaker directed the nominees to send 30 copies of their curriculum vitae to the office of the Majority Leader, Hon. Foly Ogedengbe.

     

     

     

  • Obaseki, Toyota, Yamaha, Mitsubishi, others plan investment in Edo

    Obaseki, Toyota, Yamaha, Mitsubishi, others plan investment in Edo

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has met with executives representing Mitsubishi, Sojitz, Toyota, Sumitomo, Yamaha, Yokogawa, Panasonic and the Japanese Trade Organisation (JETRO) to plan potential investments in Edo State and assure them of availability of resources.

    The meeting held in Lagos.

    He added that the state had developed a database of unemployed young people in the state, which the Japanese could tap into, adding that Edo’s proximity to Lagos and Port Harcourt could also be utilised to develop a lucrative trade route.

    Edo North, explained Obaseki, was rich in solid minerals, such as limestone for cement production and fertile soil for cocoa production; while Edo South and Edo Central were good for maize, cassava, rubber and palm production. All these complemented an onshore gas reserve located at Oben near Benin City where some critical national assets such as power installation passed through the state.

    On power, the governor disclosed that Edo would be contributing 900 additional megawatts to the national grid through the 450MW Azura power plant and the 450MW National Integrated Power Plant (NIPP) project in Benin city.

    He explained to them that the state government had signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Ossiomo power in Ologbo to supply uninterrupted power to all the government buildings located in the Sapele Road axis of the city.

    Obaseki said security would not be a problem, as the state was in a collaboration with the police to curb isolated incidences of crime in and around the state.

    Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria Sadanobu Kusaoke appreciated the sincerity and sense of responsibility of Edo State government, insisting that the Japanese were interested in collaborating with the Obaseki-led administration to expand the economy and create employment.

  • Salary payment not a problem, says Obaseki

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said payment of regular salaries will never be a problem for his administration.

    He spoke at the weekend in an interview with Channels TV following the Court of Appeal judgment upholding his election.

    The governor said his administration has not owed since it came on board seven months despite the dire financial straits.

    He promised to resolve challenges being experienced in some local governments, assuring modalities in place to exceed the 200,000-job benchmark.

    “We do not owe salaries; we paid salaries last on the 26th of May. We have been in office for seven months now.

    “What we have done should be analysed on its own merit and you can now determine how many jobs we truly would have created in that process.

    “It is not about the number of jobs we promised to create, which is 200,000 in four years. That will be done, it is a no brainier.

    On the upholding of his election, Obaseki said: “God gave me the victory; the people of Edo State voted for me, our ancestors blessed the victory, the courts in their wisdom have also reaffirmed my victory.

    “I won, fair and square, on the platform of APC, with overwhelming majority. I have made it clear; APC won, APC will govern the state.

    “Therefore, my cabinet will be purely APC but in terms of getting people to work with me, we have held series of workshops across very many policy issues involving opposition parties.”

  • Truth prevailed, says Obaseki as Appeal Court upholds electoral victory

    Truth prevailed, says Obaseki as Appeal Court upholds electoral victory

    Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot change the truth that he won the state’s governorship election held on September 28, 2016.

    The governor was reacting to Friday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal which upheld his election and dismissed the appeal of the PDP.

    He declared his readiness to meet the PDP at the Supreme Court if necessary, but vowed that he would not be distracted by such litigations.

    “I had no doubt in my mind that given the quality judiciary we had, ?it would go straight to the matter,” he said.

    “One thing you must always know is that the truth never changes. I won the election. God has affirmed that I won the election. The court has now affirmed that I won the election.

    “No matter how hard they (opposition) try, they cannot change the truth. I am sure they will appeal. We will meet at the Supreme Court and it will be the same verdict.”

    He thanked the people of Edo State for their patience, saying “I thank Edo people for their patience with us. We want to assure them that we are not distracted and we will continue on our path to recovery, on our path to progress?.

    “We have done a little bit of work. I know that people are pleased with what we have done. But I want to assure them that it is only the beginning.

    I want to assure them that with the continued support we are receiving from Edo people, we will put in everything we have to make sure that Edo State becomes the state that it should be.”

    In his own reaction, Obaseki’s immediate predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said the verdict should tell the PDP that its rigging machine can never return to the state.

    His words: “When I said that PDP petition was like the petition filed by Mama Akara, they tried to twist it. Now, if you listen to the judgment, you will see that the Court of Appeal even has more harsh words for them; that the findings of the tribunal was unassailable so they did not have to beat around the bush.

    “This is clear and I just hope that the PDP can understand that their rigging machine that was dismantled in 2007, they cannot return it and our people can never welcome them back.

    “I think it is now for Godwin (Obaseki) to concentrate fully. Happily, he is doing very well. And now with this clarity of his position, we have no doubt that he won the election. Even if the PDP wants to go to the World Court we are ready.

    “But the government will not be distracted and Edo people can be reassured that they voted wisely and they are getting the dividends of democracy that they voted for.

    “I am excited. The only thing is that we have to review the rules of the court in a manner that when a man has no case and files a fictitious petition, he should be asked to pay for the time wasted by the judges and others, so that we will have penalties for frivolities.

    “Like I said, he who dies in sin can never resurrect. The PDP died in sin.”

    The Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin City, yesterday upheld the election of Obaseki, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of Edo State against Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and People’s Democratic Party (PDP’s) appeal against the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal on September 26, 2016.

    Counsels to both parties had argued their briefs on May 30 this year, where Obaseki’s counsel, led by Wole Olanipekun, SAN, urged the court to dismiss the appeal, saying that the grounds of the appeal were watery.

    Striking out the appeal, the court, led by Hon. Justice Dongban-Mensen, ruled that the Justice Ahmed Badamasi-led tribunal did a painstaking job in its judgment, and so deserved commendation.

    He added that the tribunal should be commended for properly evaluating all the witnesses’ evidence and ascribing “probative value” to it.

    It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Obaseki, the candidate of the APC, as the winner of the September 28, 2016 governorship election while the appellants alleged that the tribunal judges truncated their right to fair hearing by giving unequal treatment to the parties involved.

    The Appeal Court held that the PDP did not prove its case to warrant the nullification of the election or the declaration of Ize-Iyamu as the winner.

  • Obaseki versus Ize-Iyamu: Appeal Court gives verdict today

    Obaseki versus Ize-Iyamu: Appeal Court gives verdict today

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City will today deliver its judgment on the appeal filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu against the judgment of the lower tribunal.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki and the All Progressive Congress (APC) filed a cross appeal over a ruling of the tribunal refusing to strike out some paragraphs in the petition and to invalidate the order by the tribunal for the inconclusive recount of ballot papers used during the election.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu filed 41 grounds of appeal against the tribunal judgment while Obaseki filed four grounds of cross appeal.

    The three-man tribunal panel led by Justice Ahmed Badamasi upheld the election of Obaseki by throwing out the petition of Pastor Ize-Iyamu.

    Part of Pastor Ize-Iyamu grounds of appeal was for the appellate court to hold that the tribunal judges erred and truncated their (appellants) right to fair hearing by the unequal treatment given to the cases of the parties, “by first finding fault, discrediting, disbelieving and dismissing their petition before considering at all and reviewing the testimonies of the witnesses of the respondents and, thus, occasioning a miscarriage of justice.”

    They told the Court of Appeal that the tribunal also erred in law and truncated their right to fair hearing where, in consideration of their case, it failed “totally” to consider and make any pronouncement on the issue concerning, “whether the second respondent was duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast” in the election “and if not, whether the first petitioner (Ize-Iyamu) is not entitled to be returned as the Governor of Edo State.”

  • Obaseki suspends Egor council officials

    Obaseki suspends Egor council officials

    Egor Local Government Council Head of Service Mrs. Racheal Oriefo and other senior officials have been suspended indefinitely for coming late to work.

    They were suspended yesterday by Governor Godwin Obaseki who paid an unscheduled visit to the council secretariat at Uselu.

    Obaseki arrived the secretariat at about 8.05am and met few workers at their duty post.

    He ordered the gate to be locked immediately even as the workers made effort to call the senior officials about the governor’s presence.

    Last week, Obaseki also paid unscheduled visit to Owan East local council secretariat and did not meet senior officials of the council on duty.

    Obaseki was visibly annoyed about the unkempt secretariat and the workers attitude to work.

    He gave the council officials three months to make the council viable. He wondered where how the workers expected to be paid when they are redundant and unproductive.

    The governor forgave the junior staff who came late but refused to forgive the management staff as he insisted that they embark on suspension.

    He was accompanied on the visit by the Chairman of Edo State Local Government Service Commission Dr. Simon Imuekemhe and a former deputy governor and APC leader Lucky Imasuen.

  • Obaseki suspends Edo council officials for lateness

    Obaseki suspends Edo council officials for lateness

    Senior officials of Egor local government council in Edo State including the Head of Service, Mrs. Racheal Oriefo, have been suspended indefinitely for coming late to work.

    They were suspended on Wednesday by Governor Godwin Obaseki who paid an unscheduled visit to the council secretariat at Uselu.

    Obaseki arrived the secretariat at 8: 05 a.m. and met few workers at their duty posts.

    He ordered the gate to be locked immediately just as the workers tried to call the senior officials about the governor’s presence.

    Obaseki also paid unscheduled visit to Owan East local council secretariat last week and did not meet the senior council officials on duty.

  • Obaseki: killer herdsmen in Edo are fleeing terrorists

    Obaseki: killer herdsmen in Edo are fleeing terrorists

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said suspected herdsmen raping and killing women in the state are terrorists who fled from the Northeast.

    Two elderly women – Christiana and Matina – were raped and killed last week on their farms by suspected herdsmen in Ewu community of Esan Central Local Government Area.

    In March, the traditional ruler of Ekperi, HRH Deke Yakubu Kanoba, the Ijiegbai of Ekperi, raised the alarm that his subjects could not go to their farms this season due to the presence of suspected runaway Boko Haram members in a nearby forest.

    The monarch, who was attending a meeting of Eminent Persons Forum with Police Commissioner Haliru Gwandu, said the men in the forest were armed with AK-47 rifles.

    Obaseki, who spoke yesterday when he visited families of the slain women, described the incident as a national security threat.

    The governor said the killers were not ordinary herdsmen but Boko Haram fighters who fled from the war in the Northeast.

    He assured the people that his administration would deal with the menace within the next few weeks, adding that he had ordered security to be tightened in the area, especially around the boundary with Kogi State.

    Obaseki said: “These are not just herdsmen; they are Boko Haram terrorists. But we are working hard to put an end to this.

    “In a matter of weeks, we are coming out with certain measures to stop these attacks. We will rely on timely accurate information from all communities. I am going to see the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on this matter.

    “Don’t be scared of going to your farms. We have stepped up security in this area with Kogi State.”

    The governor, who promised to conduct an autopsy on the women, also visited Ehimen Abuya, one of the villagers at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, who was allegedly shot by soldiers during a protest against the killing of the two women.

    Ehimen, whose leg would soon be amputated, told the governor he and other villagers were on a peaceful protest against the herdsmen attack when they were shot by soldiers.

    Obaseki promised to pay the medical bills, provide artificial lower limb and give adequate assistance to integrate him back to the society.

  • Obaseki: Six months on

    Obaseki: Six months on

    At a reception organized by reporters in his honour in November 2016, the then Edo’s fresh-mint governor, Godwin Obaseki was quoted as telling politicians and family members not to come to the Government House without proper appointment as he needed time to settle down to work. He also reportedly told his aides to avoid having what he called “unnecessary visitors”. If that presented a window into the mind of the new helmsman on the subject of the pervasive abuse of executive time among public officers – elected and appointed, the hardly endearing statement comes close to a ‘Satanic Verse’ in a clime where most government houses operate more or less like exchanges for trading influences.

    Satanic verses or not, it is safe to say that a new spirit rules in the state. On a visit  two weeks ago, the mood, though somewhat subdued, spoke of great expectation from the Obaseki administration. After the fiery reign of Adams Oshiomhole, the archetypal activist not known to take prisoners, Obaseki, seems to be finally be coming to his own as reflective, deliberative yet no less decisive leader. (Witness his last week’s closure of Edo Line, the state transport company ran aground by its management).  Whereas the momentum may appear slow and different from those of his immediate predecessor, the shared template of strong progressive governance is certainly hard to miss; the same with the determination to leapfrog a state only recently laid waste by the rampaging PDP buccaneers.

    The team of visiting editors from Lagos took on some hierarchs of the administration on a number of issues facing the new administration.

    Is the administration “slow”? Without a cabinet six months after, many would of course be tempted to think so. However, to many a hierarch in the administration, that charge would be contestable. Indeed, many actually insisted that the charge of lull or inertia would amount to an unpardonable denial not just of all that is going on in the backrooms of government but in the vast public spaces across the state.

    Osarodion Ogie, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), obviously number among those as reels out the accomplishments already in the kitty. Ditto, Dennis Oloriegbe, Edo’s traffic czar, head-hunted from Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) to head the new Edo State Traffic Management Authority (EDSTMA) – a man whose readiness to rewrite the Edo traffic story bordered on the infectious.

    Ogie in particular will insist that the administration has done quite a lot. Listed among the achievements in the last six months are the promulgation of the Community Development Association (CDA) law which outlawed the activities of community development chairmen (land speculators) known to harass people over their property; the abolition of the collection of government revenue by non-government officials; the take-off of the state’s agripreneur programme under which the state government undertakes to clear the farmland for interested members of the public has taken off. According to the SSG, the state government has cleared over 500 hectares of land in Sobe, Akoko-Edo for those interested in farming. Aside providing seedlings for the farmers, he told the visiting team that the state government has substantially de-risked the venture to the extent that off-takers to buy off the produce are standing by. The state government, he said, is already set to move to the second phase of clearing additional hectares of land for farmers.

    Not all, he also informed his visitors that the state has developed a data base of unemployed youths – an initiative under which 150 thousand youths have been registered with their vital details and bank verification number for possible placement in government programmes. Some 150 of the lot were said to have been pencilled for absorption at the traffic agency at the time of the visit.

    Joseph Eboigbe, the Executive Director and coordinator of the state and strategic team (who incidentally was Obaseki’s deputy at the Economic and Strategic Team in the last administration) spoke on what the administration has done preparatory to the take- off of the cabinet. He spoke of a strategic dialogue held in December 2016, which set the tone for Governor Obaseki first term, the outcome of which was distributed into quick wins, immediate and medium terms initiatives. The quick wins, he said, were incorporated into the 2017 budget and are being implemented. Part of the next steps included convening sectorial workshops to further drive down the high level strategic outlook held in December. The outcomes of this sectorial workshop, according to him, will feed into key performance indicators that will be handed over to heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that will form the cabinet. As soon as they come in, relevant orientation programmes will be delivered and it will be very clear what they are expected to deliver on quarterly basis, all this will feed into the objective of the governor as articulated in his medium term plan for this his first term in office.

    He also spoke of the administration’s industrialisation plans; its plans to make the state very conducive for large scale industrialists to locate especially those that are interested in agriculture and entities using gas as raw materials particularly as the state has one of the highest reserves in gas. He spoke of the first private sector led NIPP – the Azura power plant currently being developed, other expressions of interest in gas power plants and one or two expressions of interest to set up fertilizer plant using gas as raw material, the industrial parks and the development of Gelegele Port, the historic port in the southern part of the state.

    It is however Anselm Ojezua, Edo APC chairman and Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, the state’s former SSG that supplies the emerging template of the synergy between the ruling party in the state and Obaseki government – something that the ruling party at the centre can borrow from. For appointments, the party at the grass root level is availed the opportunity to nominate people at all levels to a screening committee at the state level. Thorough screening at the local level, party level, is to be followed up by another committee chaired by Prof Dennis Agbonlahor for further screening. The idea is to ensure that those coming on board are, according to him, “persons who are morally up right, intellectually solid, ICT-compliant to a large extent, who have experience and who have some legitimate bearing, so that when they are put in position, they will hit the ground running and not trying to learn how government works”.

    Related to this is the plan to restructure the entire civil and public service. Here, the plan is to reduce the number of ministries, abolition of moribund committees that have been overtaken by time, and whose continuous existence constitute impediment to the flow of policy initiation and implementation; restructuring some of the ministry to make them more efficient, stronger to deliver services to the people,  training for the public, civil servants in particular to increase efficiency, capacity building to enable them work effectively in the 21 century and to key into the developmental objective of the government.

    While it seems early in the day to pass definitive judgment, the overall impression is one of an administration roaring to go.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Obaseki to boost revenue for councils

    Obaseki to boost revenue for councils

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has pledged his administration’s commitment to work with local government administrators to boost their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    The governor spoke in Benin, the state capital, at a two-day retreat, tagged: Reforming Local Government Administration in Edo, organised for local government administrators.

    The state, he said, organised the retreat to discuss the challenges confronting local governments with a view to proffering solutions to them.

    Obaseki said the drop in crude oil prices made it impossible for Federal allocation to sustain local governments.

    The governor said his administration decided to put measures in place to boost councils’ IGR.

    He said: “Let us be frank with ourselves. We need to strategise on how we can boost revenue and reduce costs. Those are the solutions I can see. We have introduced the use of technology to collect revenue for local government areas in the state. In the pilot phase of the scheme, we were able to raise IGR from N42,000 to N500,000 at nine different collection points in Oredo Local Government Area every day.”

    Obaseki said Edo State would make 15 of its 18 local government areas viable before September through the new method of IGR collection.

    The governor urged the administrators to support the process, emphasising the need for the councils to improve their intelligence gathering system to curtail security challenges in state.