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Tag: Oshiomhole

  • No apology for sacked teachers, says Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has said his administration has no apology for the sack of 836 teachers.

    He said his government was poised to sanitise and revitalise the Education sector.

    Oshiomhole said teachers, who could not read or speak good English, would not produce intelligent pupils.

    The governor spoke in Auchi during the celebration of Allah at the 17th edition of the Auchi Day celebration with the theme: “The Holy Qu’ran: Guidance for Mankind”.

    Oshiomhole, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said he was committed to re-focusing the Education sector with a view to producing pupils, who would not search for “miracle centres”.

    “Some people are bellyaching that we sacked teachers. We have no apology for that. Some persons ought to have retired 10 years ago, but they reduced their ages to remain in the system. They have passed 60 and are still in the system,” he added.

  • I’m hale and hearty – Oshiomhole

    I’m hale and hearty – Oshiomhole

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has debunked rumors making the round that he was fatally injured in the December 28, 2013 auto crash in Ewu, Esan Central Local Government Area of the state.

    Debunking the rumour that he was injured and flown abroad following the accident, the governor reassured the people that he is well and alive and that he had every reason to give thanks to God.

    Oshiomhole spoke while presiding over the first state executive council meeting for the year.

    He said, “It is true that on December 28, 2013, at about 10am, I was heading from my village to Benin City to receive the Vice President who was visiting Uromi to attend the birthday celebration of Chief Tony Anenih. Even though he was on a private visit, I am obliged by protocol to receive him.

    “I believe somewhere in Ewu, a bus that was packed with goods veered off its lane and headed straight to my car and hit the car. But for the fact that the car is armored, it would have somersaulted given its impact and the bus driver was clearly on high speed.

    “The luck however was that we were not on speed and so it was possible for the vehicles in my convoy to stop, otherwise, all the vehicles would have ran into my car and one thing would have led to the other,” he said .

    He added, “All of us in the car, my ADC, driver and myself were all having our seatbelts on. The airbags were all activated. Nothing happened to any of us. I still went to the airport to receive the vice president after the accident.

    “They say the devil is a liar. It does not matter what they say. God delivered all of us, none of us was injured in any manner. All those stories about being hospitalized and being under intensive care in an undisclosed hospital are figments of the imagination of those who were parroting the story.

    “The important thing for me is that anything could have happened. The driver passed the first three vehicles and went straight to hit the one that I was in. You would recall that on the eve of the campaigns for 2012 election, that same car was the one I was driving and a vehicle in a similar manner came and rammed into a car I was supposed to be in,” he added.

     

  • Group hails Oshiomhole over Edo North development

    Group hails Oshiomhole over Edo North development

    A group, Edo North Professionals’ Forum, has applauded the role of 3Governor Adams Oshiomhole in the development of the Edo Central

    District,

    The group also assessed the performance of Senator Domingo Obende, who represents the zone, urging him to live up to expectation.

    In a letter to the governor signed by its Coordinator, Muhammed Alaoye, and six local government coordinators, the group expressed the desire “to champion the socio-economic development of Edo North Senatorial District and reposition it for greater participation and political relevance”.

    Alaoye said: “It does not require a special skill or intelligence to recogniee the effort of Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, towards rebuilding Edo State, with particular reference to Edo North. But the senator representing the district must also rise to the challenge of assisting the governor in the administration’s bid to confront the political and socio-economic challenges confronting our people”.

    The coordinator said that there can be no progress, if the elected representatives fail to work harmoniously, share ideas and cooperate together, while finding solutions to pressing socio-economic and political challenges.

    He warned against self-centered and lack-lustre representation and leadership, saying that it could impair growth and development.

    Alaoye added: “The problem of the senatorial district is inextricably tied to the poor quality of leadership. The district’s fortune has continued to plummet.This dearth of quality leadership cannot be divorced from the poor recruitment process called party primaries. The consequence of poor choice at the polls is the election of wrong persons into public management offices. No country, state, senatorial district or local government can rise above the level of it’s workforce, especially at the decision-making or business of law-making or be it leadership at any level”

    “What Edo North deserves at this critical point, especially so, when Governor Adams Oshiomhole would be rounding off his tenure, is a crop of leaders that are endowed with the gift of steady application, imbued with the ability to control events, rather than drift with the tides and, who in the range of vision and depth of conception, tower above their contemporaries. Edo North needs a senator of iron resolve, indomitable courage and sharp intellect. Men of proven integrity should also come out to assume positions of responsibility.

    “Mr. Governor Sir, you owe it a duty, just as we collectively do, at this particular point in our political history, to fish out patriotic and right-thinking citizens to man positions of responsibilities in Afenmai, and by extension, Edo State.”

     

  • Oshiomhole survives auto-crash

    Oshiomhole survives auto-crash

    Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole Saturday survived an auto crash when a Peugeot J5 Bus filled with tomatoes and plantains rammed into his car.

    The incident occurred at about 9:45am at Ewu Village along the Benin-Auchi road in Edo State.

    Oshiomhole’s convoy was involved in a road accident along Warrake in 2012 where three journalists lost their lives.

    A statement signed by Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs, Prince Kassim Afegbua and issued to reporters said the J5 Bus apparently lost control and rammed into the Governor’s Flag Car from the opposite direction before swerving into a road side ditch.

    Prince Afegbua stated that three vehicles in the Governor’s convoy were in front of the Governor’s Flag Car and had passed the Peugeot J5 Bus before the J5 Bus had direct impact with the Governor’s Car which had the Governor, his Aide-De-Camp [ADC] and his Driver as occupants.

    He said the incident has been reported Divisional Police Station at Ewu for further investigation.

    According to the statement, “The Governor’s Car was badly affected but no injuries were sustained by both occupants of the Peugeot J5 Bus and that of the Governor’s.”

    “The Peugeot J5 Bus was following a truck that was descending the Ewu Slope when it suddenly veered off into the Governor’s lane from the opposite direction and directly impacted on the Governor’s vehicle, apparently because of brake failure.”

    “The good story is that nobody sustained injuries in both vehicles. The Comrade Governor is hale and hearty, his ADC and other occupants of the Peugeot J5 are also in good condition.

    “This is to assure all good people of Edo State that there is no cause for alarm. Their loving Comrade Governor is fine, hale and hearty as well as other occupants of the other affected vehicle. The Comrade Governor is wishing everyone a prosperous new year ahead.”

  • Posthumous birthday wishes for Oshiomhole’s aide

    Posthumous birthday wishes for Oshiomhole’s aide

    He would have been a year older on December 7, but Olaitan Oyerinde’s life was cut short by assassins — he was until his death the Private Secretary to the Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole.

    Oyerinde was gruesomely murdered by four assailants in the early hours of May 42012 in the presence of his helpless wife and other family members.

    Facebook friends of the late comrade whose killers are yet to be brought to justice posted their wishes on the social media platform.

    Below are some of the posts:


    Jagunmolu ‘OluwaDare Lasisi

    Today is Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde‘s birthday. Do we still remember this Nigerian human rights activist and former Special Adviser to Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomole? He was brutally gunned down in his bedroom in Benin City 2 years ago and his killers are yet to be arrested. Many friends not aware of his assassination are still saying ‘Happy birthday’ on his Facebook wall. Anyway, life goes on, may Olaitan’s killers never smell peace in this world and hereafter. If they and their sponsors have the power, let them live beyond 500 years on earth. Fellow Nigerians, let us remember this great guy murdered in cold blood. No evil deed shall go unpunished.*Sun re o Olaitan Abdulkabir Oyerinde*

     

    Yemisi Ilesanmi

    Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde today, I cannot help but wonder if his killers will ever be brought to justice. Is there hope for a true democracy in Nigeria and where exactly did the left go wrong?  Olaitan, I really do miss our fights, laughter, banter and all the office drama. R.I.P. Adieu and Goodbye.
    The Dictators are not only those

    Who terrorized us in military clothes

    Banned the ballot boxes, rolled out armored tanks

    From their hallowed barracks their records stank

    The dictators are not only those

    Who unleashed on us bullets doses
    Arrests we endured, Teargas we inhaled
    Bullets we survived, in victory we exhaled

    The dictators are more than men in khakis
    Now they strut around with official cardkeys
    They dined with the military killers
    Frolicking and posing as civilian rulers

    The dictators are the beneficiaries of our struggle
    The throats of the people they now strangle
    Feeding fat on the carcass of the masses
    Belching on empty electoral promises

    The dictators are the pot bellied old men
    Toasting their ‘do or die’ politics with a mien
    Drinking the blood of our youth
    While our treasury they loot

    With our blood we paved the way for elections
    With our limbs new mansions are now erected
    Assassins they wantonly hire to come and raid
    As they willfully gun down our trusted comrades

    Arise comrades, for our work is far from done
    From the wrinkled, bloodstained hands of the dons
    Our country we shall capture and reclaim
    Our comrades’ blood shall not be in vain

    The dictators are the 1 percent
    We the masses are the 99 percent
    With unity, might and strength
    We shall sniff out their odious scent

    The dictators we shall once again oust
    Our flag they shall no longer hoist
    They shall all be gone
    Before we are done.
    BY © YEMISI ILESANMI

     

    Oladoyin Siyanbola

    Though u’re gone Sir, U’re always remembered. May ur soul continue 2 rest in perfect peace. Happy post humous birthday

    Okey Onwuchekwa

    Evil men and their self-imposed hapless security operatives who remained clueless to bring justice to you may be having their wicked laugh, but God will not allow your blood remain uncounted forever.  Happy birthday, in the world beyond.

     

    Aderiike Kolawole

    Continue to rest in peace. And may those that sent you to your early grave never know peace. Their unborn generation shall share in their pains and bitterness. May the Lord continue to be with your wife and the children you left behind. .

    Izekor Amen-Joy

    Dis household will continue 2 remember u. I’m sure it would have been a great day if u were to be alive. Continue 2 rest in peace.

    Rilwan Olowo Eko

    May the happiest day of the year bring you what you care for the most. Continue to rest in peace

    Oghene Olu Dester

    Posthumously we shall continue to celebrate you! May your gentle soul continue to rest in Perfect peace!!!

    Adeyemo Adeyinka

    Happy posthumous birthday comrade. May you continue to rest in Lord’s bosom and may peace elude those that cut your life @ your prime.

    Comrade Femi Taiwo

    My Great Comrade! May ur gentle Soul continue to rest in d blossom of Almighty God, Till we meet and part no more, I love u bro,but God love u more.

    Orish Mayor

    Happy post-mortem birthday comrade,don’t let your assailants rest until they are hacked down too.Farewell comrade!!!Aluta continua,victoria ascerta!

    Juliana Taiwo Obalonye

    Continue to RIP comrade & may God continue to keep your family you left behind. Amen

    Rasheed Raji Ropo

    As we remember you today comrade… Pls continue to rest in peace… Still your killer has not been found but we know that one day you killer will also join you in the underworld and from there God that has power over everything will pass judgement on every soul.. Rest in perfect peace comrade Olaitan Oyerinde

     

  • Oshiomhole to striking doctors: don’t expect salary

    Oshiomhole to striking doctors: don’t expect salary

    Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has told striking doctors not to expect salary if they continue the five-day warning strike.

    Patients have been discharged at the government hospitals, while others are left unattended to due to the strike by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

    Oshiomhole, who described the strike as a blackmail, provocative, illegal, avoidable and unnecessary, said doctors in the state’s employ are not Federal Government’s employees.

    The governor noted that the Federal Government had no hand in the employment, promotion and posting of the doctors.

    He said the Federal Government does not know how the state finds money to pay the doctors.

    Oshiomhole spoke yesterday at a meeting with the Association of Resident Doctors, Medical and Dental Consultants Association, at the Government House, Benin City.

    According to him, the doctors would have informed the state government about their strike, instead of walking out on their jobs.

    The governor said: “If you have grievances, you are obliged by law, you are obliged by tradition, you are compelled by your own oath not to abandon your patients.

    “I believe even if we are to talk in the context of employer-employee relationship, you are obliged by law to state the particulars of your grievances to your employer.

    “There is nothing in the convention or the law, which allows you to walk out on your job. The fact that your colleagues in Federal Government’s employ had dispute and sought meeting the Minister of Health, those are meetings between your colleagues and the Federal Government. How is Edo State a part of this?”

  • Oshiomhole presents N159.213b budget proposal

    Oshiomhole presents N159.213b budget proposal

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State yesterday presented a budget proposal of N159.213 billion for 2014 fiscal year.

    The budget proposal is N5 million higher than the N154,125,498,265 billion approved for the 2013 fiscal year.

    Of the N159.213 billion, N85.595 billion representing 53.76 per cent was earmarked for capital expenditure, while N73.617 billion representing 46.24 per cent was proposed for recurrent expenditure.

    The budget proposal presented before the lawmakers at the Edo State House of Assembly was tagged: “Budget of Renewed Hope”.

    A breakdown of the capital expenditure showed that the economic and social sector was allotted N83.5711 billion, while the administrative and law and justice sector got N2.024 billion.

    A further breakdown showed that road projects got N24 billion, education got N15 billion, health was allotted N8 billion, while flood and erosion control got N10.295 billion.

    Governor Oshiomhole said the 2013 revenue performance was affected by the reduction in the Personal Income Tax and a drop in the allocation from the Federation Account, arising from alleged oil theft.

    He said the 2014 budget proposal was to sustain the tempo of development in the state, which included the building of 26 roads and the completion of construction and equipping of the new Accident and Emergency/200-Bed Ward Complex at the Central Hospital.

    According to him, “we have a sound development strategy and we have drawn important lessons in the process of implementation of our projects and programmes over the years. We also have in abundance a political will and critical mass of support to drive our development agenda, sustain the gains we have so far made and break new grounds.

    “The urge to deliver more must compel us to wear our thinking caps and reflect more, as to how to move the state forward by looking inwards, tapping into our creative resource and seizing the opportunities offered by the national and global market places.

    “The core policy goals and objectives of the 2014 budget are aimed at improving the socio-economic well-being of our people. The set targets and parameters used for the formulation of the budget are realistic, pragmatic and achievable.”

  • Iyayi laid to rest

    Iyayi laid to rest

    •Edo names school after him

    The Ugbegun Grammar School in Ugbegun, Edo State, home town of the late Professor Festus Iyayi is to be rebuilt and named after him by the Edo State government.

    The plan, according to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, is to immortalise the former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) who was laid to rest yesterday.

    Iyayi died last month in a motor accident on the outskirts of Lokoja, Kogi State, while on his way to Kano for a meeting of the National Executive Council of the union.

    Speaking at a reception held at the school yesterday after the burial, Oshiomhole also said a water scheme would be constructed at Ugbegun and named after the deceased to remind the people about him and what he fought for.

    The governor said: “Some of the things we can remember about the late Iyayi are his consistency, commitment and doggedness and he paid the ultimate sacrifice. He lived and died in the struggle and therefore we can say in truth that the struggle was his life.

    “We celebrate that God used him and his colleagues in ASUU such that today in every home the issue of the state of education is on the front burner. It will no longer be convenient to downgrade the issue of education and because the future of a country is defined by its education and its human capital, what Iyayi and his colleagues have done and are doing is to put our future on discourse,” he said.

    He added: “how do we remember him? How do we immortalise his name? When I visited his family house this morning (yesterday), I said since Iyayi was also a contributor to how a worker could become the governor of Edo State, now that a worker is now the governor of the state, this community of Ugbegun, by next Monday I will deploy one of our industrial rigs to provide a water scheme which will be named as Festus Iyayi Water Scheme for the benefit of the people of this community.

    “Iyayi struggled for the proper position of education and education is only about nations. The people of Edo State will agree with me that one of the areas that government has tried to make a difference is rebuilding public schools that are as attractive as any private school in the state.

    “I also want therefore that this school called Ugbegun Secondary School beginning with the new budget which begins in January and by the special grace of God not later than February, we would have passed through all the processes and we will build this school to the new standard of Edo State. The school will be renamed Festus Iyayi Memorial Secondary School.”

    The reception was graced by the President of ASUU, Dr Nasir Fagge, INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, two other former Presidents of ASUU, Dr Oladipo Fashina, and Dr Abdullahi Sule-Kano, Senator Odion Ugbesia, member of the House of Representatives, Peter Akpattasson, ASUU Chairmen and members from across universities in the country, among others.

  • Oshiomhole hails doctors for shunning strike

    Oshiomhole hails doctors for shunning strike

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has hailed the Joint Action Committee of Medical and Dental Consultants and the National Association of Resident Doctors for shunning the strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), saying they have shown maturity and are abiding by their Hippocratic oath to save lives.

    Speaking yesterday at a meeting with the union, Governor Oshiomhole also said he has met over 70 per cent of the demands of the NLC/TUC and that their 10.5 per cent Teachers’ Special Allowance demand falls under the purview of the local government authorities and not the state government.

    Speaking on the strike, he said: “We have granted about 70 per cent of what they asked for; the other one we have said no case at all and the other one I said, fine, we will address it. So I don’t know what is left. They told me they would communicate with me after a meeting with their congress, but they locked the gates. They went to the state Assembly, whose salary is different, they went there and locked the gates. I have allowed them because only God knows how many strikes I have organised in my life. Therefore, when people are on strike, whether or not they are right, I don’t want to be seen to be reacting as if it’s something I’m not familiar with.”

  • Oshiomhole employs widow, gives her N2m

    Oshiomhole employs widow, gives her N2m

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has offered employment to the widow, Mrs Joy Ifije, whom he upbraided, penultimate week.

    N2 million naira will also be given to Mrs Ifije whose goods were seized by men of the State War Against Indiscipline for obstructing the Mission road in the state capital .

    This was contained in a statement signed Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Peter Okhiria.

    The statement read: “The Governor who announced the job offer to the woman, in addition to a N2 million grant for her to get a shop and trade, said during a breakfast meeting with her at the Government House, yesterday, that her job would be to join State’s War Against Indiscipline in the campaign against street trading and to keep the state clean.”

    The Governor who again apologised to the widow said “when you put your things on the road a vehicle can run into you and they have killed some people like that and that was why I said if you are a widow do you want more people to be widowed? But when I said go and die, that one was said in a fit of anger. And I am really sorry”, he said.

    “I want you to join us. We would employ you and pay you salary. You would help us to campaign to other women not to trade on road sides. We should not use poverty as a yardstick. We would also talk to taxi and bus drivers not to block roads when carrying passengers”, Oshiomhole said.

    “You will assist me to talk to women and traders not to litter the roads and sidewalks so that people walking and driving can have free road. If they want to park they can park properly so as not to disturb others.”

    The Governor said government was trying to change Benin City from its old status adding “as you can see Benin is becoming a modern city. So you join us now and every month you begin to get salary so that you can look after your children”.

    “For your child who is preparing to enter into the university, my daughters and myself have agreed to support him. If he does well as we pray he does, he would assist the family. Maybe this is the way God wants it. That is why I asked them to look for you so that I can personally offer my apology, but also to support you, so that God helping you, you can overcome the pain of widowhood”, he said.

    “As a single mother I want to see how I can help you to train your children and God can use any of them to become a leader of our country. Please resist the temptation to do anything that would break the law. The law is the law; it is no respecter of persons. If Government does not enforce the law there would be confusion”, he remarked.

    The Governor who gave the woman a cash gift of N2 million said “in addition to working with the War Against Indiscipline, I am also giving you the sum of two million naira so that you can hire a shop, trade inside the shop and not roadside and I pray that God will bless your decision on how you utilize the money. This money is not for you to share or distribute but to help you as a working capital”.

    Responding, the widow, Mrs Joy Ifijeh thanked the Governor for the gesture and promised that she would be part of the fight to keep the City clean.

    She apologized to the Governor for blocking the road with her wares, saying she recognized that what she did was wrong but she did not know that the Governor was on inspection that day.

    According to her, she had been a victim of theft by a truck pusher who went away with her goods, a week before her encounter with the Governor, that was why she was on the road with her goods that day as she no longer trusted truck pushers not to do away with her goods.