EDO POLITICS – GODWIN OBASEKI, PHILLIP SHAIBU, IZE-IYAMU AND OSHIOMHOLE.

EDO POLITICS – GODWIN OBASEKI, PHILLIP SHAIBU, IZE-IYAMU AND OSHIOMHOLE.

Walking pass the streets of Edo state, you could see a government working relentlessly to better the people’s life! We did a brief walk around the heart beat of Nigeria, see what we gathered.

In less than three and half years, the Godwin Obaseki and Phillip Shaibu led government has radically restructured Edo State into an industrial and economic hub. Below are 15 quick score!

• Roads – Over 300 roads completely constructed with 181 ongoing. Across the 192 wards of the state, there are at least one or two tarred roads. Bringing about ease of transportation for farmers and business people. The usual occurrence of erosion carrying away houses has drastically reduced. Many of the newly constructed roads were duly fitted with drainage.

• Education – Through its EdoBest scheme, over 12,000 out of about 15,000 public primary school teachers in Edo state were trained on modern and digital method of teaching, with every trained teacher empowered with smart gadgets like tablet which has greatly enhanced their teaching method and classroom management skills creating a system that has largely improve teaching outcome and pupil’s engagement. Plus the refurbishment of 230 primary schools. Visit EdoSubeb. Also, take a quick trip to the state university, Abros Ali University, you wi see the massive constructions and projects going on there!

• ICT – Edo Innovation Hub – One of its kind in the history of Edo state has helped people like me and thousand others find their foot in the digital and ICT space. Having access to constant power supply, creative working environment, free WIFI and working space. Thousands of Edo youths were trained on Information and Communication Technology by renown organization like Google, First Bank, Facebook, Curator University amongst others. Many of us are not just doing well today but have also helped in training younger ones. See BeInspired Show Digital skill trainings for teenagers in secondary schools and Content Development Strategy Forum for young graduates. Read full article about the Innovate hub.

• Civil Service – Complete reconstruction of the entire Civil Service buildings. The block C and D of the state Secretariat complex which has been abandoned for over 40 years was redesigned and built to a world-class standard. The new Secretariat furnished with state-of-the-art facilities houses a civic center, supermarket, a crèche for nursing mothers and a Treasury House which has the office of the state Accountant General and the Commissioner for Finance. More importantly, workers get their salaries at least 26th or 28th of every month.

• Industries – Edo Production Centre – This has provided a conducive working environment for artisans, producers and manufacturers, with factory space and 24hours power supply. The production centre is a major subsidiary of the Edo State Skill Development Agency popularly known as Edojobs. – an initiative aimed at tackling the high rate of unemployment in Edo State through its skills acquisition and empowerment program. And has so far created over 151,000 jobs. Also, the state has attracted several industries and investors such as Market Square, Jara Shopping mall among others.

• Judiciary – With the annual judicial capital expenditure increased from 280 million to 1.8 billion at the beginning of the Obaseki government, A new court complex was built for the federal high court and the old court renovated. The living standard of judges has greatly improved with the renovation of the judge’s quarters housing five new duplex, five boys’ quarters, a gymnasium, among others. Plans are also already underground to build the first industrial court complex in the state, which also doubles as the first industrial court in the South-South.

• Pensioners – These past three years have seen a complete stop of the incessant protest by pensioners in Edo state, clearing all pension arrears, and ensuring timely payment of pensions, giving the state old and retired civil labourers reasons to smile again.

• Security and Traffic Control – The launch of Operation Wabaizigan! 3000 intelligence gathering workforce recruited and deployed to all 18 local government of the state. 50 special security cars, 30 Toyota Hilux patrol vans; 30 patrol motorbikes, three Tropicalised Armoured Personnel Carriers; three Ambulances; a community policing and a police radio network, Integrated Command and Control Centre plus other paramedics and establishment. On traffic control, a thorough rebranding and advancement of the Edo State Traffic Control and Management Agency (EDSTMA). Drastically reducing the risky act of beating traffic, reckless driving and loss of lives and property. Learn more.

• Institutional Reform – Revival of the Edo Development & Property Agency (EDPA) which had no real estate project for over 18 years. Birthing the new beautiful Emotan Garden, a government – private real estate venture. Also, the establishment of Edo State Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS), an innovative solution to the many decades of land problems in the state by deploying electronic and technologically driven method of Insuring Certification – of – Occupancy and title deeds of landed property. Inauguration of the Local Government Service Commission to strengthen governance at the grassroots level. Plus several other institutional reform.

• Sport – The state stadium: Samuel Ogbemudia stadium is a world class standard. Equipped and set to host the rescheduled National Sport Festival. The rebranding of the Bendel Insurance Football Club. And ongoing construction of 20 other mini stadia across the state.

• Health – A revamped of the state primary health care system, bringing access to quality healthcare services closer to the people. Launch of the Edo Healthcare Improvement Programme (Edo-HIP). Renovating and enhancing improved performance of 20 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in all 18 Local Government Areas of the state. The establishment of the Edo State Health Insurance Scheme that has so far financed and delivered affordable healthcare services to residents state wide. As well as other health funding bodies.

These are not promises, they are the realities of Edo people in just about three and half years.

• Electricity – The first test-run of the 55MW Ossiomo Power Plant and CCETC Clean Energy (CCETC-Ossiomo Power) located at Ologbo community in Ikpoba Okha Local of Edo state has been successfully carried out. Targeted to help power and light up government buildings and public utilities, such as hospitals, offices, streetlights, the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, the production centre and other public facilities. First time Edo is harnessing alternative power supply leveraging its competitive access to natural gas. Construction of the Ossiomo power plant began in 2018, with advantage from the Azura power plant.

• Infrastructure – Reconstruction of John Oyegun training institute to boost human capacity through the trainings of workers in several sectors of the state, the reviving and restructuring of the state own media outfits – the Nigeria Observer, and the rebuilding of the almost lost and dilapidated Edo House in the country’s capital Abuja. Even the state government house has been thoroughly transformed.

• Agriculture – Let’s ask the beneficiaries of the thousands of clusters of lands in rural areas, through the state’s Agripreneur program which have seen several farmers trained and empowered with seedlings, fertilizers, tractors and loans to aid modern and mechanized farming.

Now, here is the bomb for everyone!

• EDO MODULAR REFINARY – First of its kind in the history of Edo state.

Does it not just make sense that in 2020, there are state own refinery across the country, knowing a huge percent of our revenue depends on this.

Now take a stroll to Google, type EDO MODULAR REFINARY. See for yourself the works Governor Godwin Obaseki is doing to making sure Edo state is set to refining its own oil!

How about projects like the GELEGELE SEE PORT, The INDUSTRIAL PARK, the CREATIVE/ENTERTAINMENT HUB or the RENOVATED TECHNICAL COLLEGE?

All these many factors have contributed in opening the ancient city of Benin/Edo and turning it into a modern and industrialized state. Attracting partnership and investment from different foreign companies and organizations.

These are only a few of the hundreds of project Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki and Phillip Shaibu has done and MUST be allowed to expand and consolidate upon.

As the first lady Betsy Godwin Obaseki would say; “The plan is to make Edo a small London.” But with what we see, Edo is on its way to becoming ANOTHER LONDON.

This is not politics, this is GOVERNANCE! Creating a system that works!!

BEINSPIRED!!!

Kindly share.

Mercy Omoregie

Online Business Consultant

Content Strategist, Author.

Founder, BeInspired Show