The growing profile of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has continued to receive favourable comments even from his erstwhile critics who are astounded by the steady pace of infrastructural and human development across the state. As I write, Edo State is a construction site with hundreds of kilometres of roads undergoing reconstruction. Over 77,200 jobs have been created by the Obaseki administration in the last two years while health care, education, judicial reforms, security of life and property are receiving unprecedented attention.
So it is ridiculous to say the least, that a certain, Tony Erha, likely a pseudonym (as he did not give details of himself; where he works etc) for a faceless group of renegade politicians, has resorted to peddling lies, in a feeble attempt to sway attention their way. We are aware that some turncoat politicians who have since taken to flight over the hygiene that the Obaseki administration has instituted in Edo politics, are hovering about, looking for faults where there are none. Obaseki will not reward indolence in the name of politics no matter the decibel of noise planted in a segment of the media.
The money that accrues to Edo State is being used to develop Edo State and only an enemy of Edo State will resort to unashamed and barefaced lies as against the facts on ground which present Edo as the best in public finance, a World Bank ranking that can be verified by anyone.
The progressives in Edo State have come to appreciate the measured steps being taken by Governor Obaseki amid scarce resources, to deliver on his campaign promises. Before Obaseki awarded the contract for the ongoing reconstruction of St. Saviour Road, which leads to homes and businesses of thousands of Edo people, residents of the area suffered untold hardship on that road. People who reside in Ugbor-Amagba area of Benin City certainly do not share the bellydriven sentiments expressed by Tony Erha, because, after years of unprecedented suffering on Ugbor-Amagba Road, Governor Obaseki is currently reconstructing the road.
Orhionmwon people who woke up to the news of the award of contract by Obaseki to reconstruct the 106 kilometre Benin-Abraka Road, have reasons to call Tony Erha and his ilk, liars. The Benin-Abraka Road leads to hundreds of communities including oil bearing communities, that were cut off from urban life for decades. In Edo Central and Edo North Senatorial Districts, several road and other infrastructural projects are in progress, including the reclamation work in the age-old gully erosion sites in Ibore and Ewu, that have swallowed people and houses in the areas for years.
A catalogue of infrastructural projects in Esan Land shows unprecedented road construction work, some completed and others ongoing, including the Agbede-Awain Road; the asphalt overlay on the 1350-metre Ikinago Ujosanle Road, in Opoji, Esan Central Local Government Area for which 580 persons were employed; 960-metre Idumbhokale/Ekhomu Street, Eguare Irrua; 626-metre Eson Street, Eguare, Irrua and 600-metre Ohue Ogene Street, off Idumebo road, Irrua, in Esan Central. In Esan North East we have the asphalt overlay/drain construction/ kerbs on the 600-metre Efadion College Road (Oyeribhor), for which 360 persons were recruited directly; 580-metre Deeper Life Bible Church Road, Uromi and 600 metres Bishop Ekpo Street, Uromi.
In Esan South East, the projects are: Asphalt overlay on the 875-metre Otokimhi-Ugboha Road, for which 420 persons were engaged; drainage construction/ laterite filling on the 875-metre Otokimhi-Ugboha Road; asphalt overlay with kerbs on the 990-metre Idumagho Road Okaigben, Ewohimi; and asphalt overlay/part drainage construction/kerbs on 1000-metres Ataga Road, in Ubiaja. In Esan West local council, we have the asphalt overlay/drainage construction with kerbs on the 805-metre Oxford Road, Idumebo, Ekpoma, for which 420 persons were engaged; asphalt overlay/kerbs on 550-metre GT Road, Ekpoma; asphalt overlay /drainage construction on 640-metre Eseigbe Street Behind Enojie’s Palace, Ekpoma; and asphalt overlay/drainage construction/kerbs on 480 metres Agbi Street, Off Benin – Auchi Express Road, to mention only few. We do know that with the general elections around the corner, the likes of Tony Erha and the men behind his masked face will make frantic effort at blackmail, to get the day’s pay. But they have met the wrong candidate in Governor Obaseki.
The overriding interest of the millions of Edo people who deserve purposive governance, far outweighs, the wicked machinations of self-seeking and failed politicians. Edo’s rebirth is on course and no shenanigans or communal mischief by some lowlyplaced people can stop it. Erha must have written from the moon or some farther places, not to know the ongoing reforms at the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen. He took a swipe at the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, formerly known as Edo State Institute of Technology and Management, Usen, making an unfounded claim that the school has been shut down.
Those who know, are aware that Governor Godwin Obaseki, on December 1, attended the first and only convocation ceremony ever held at the institution since its inception in 2002. Mr. Erha must have been in a cave, far away from civilisation, not to have known about this widely publicised ceremony.
The convocation ceremony this year at Edo State Polytechnic Usen signposts the new lease of life at the institution, which is being repositioned under the expert and trail-blazing leadership of Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Prof. Abiodun Falodun, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) at the University of Benin. The take on pensioners also presents a reason to doubt Erha’s memory, or was his article meant for several years before now? Over 50 batches of pensioners have been screened and their arrears regularly paid.
All workers under the state civil service have been migrated to the Contributory Pension Scheme, with families of deceased workers benefiting from the Group Life Insurance under the new pension scheme. So, one is wont to wonder if it is only Mr. Erha that is a witness to a disagreement between the state governor and pensioners.
What cannot be taken away from Obaseki is his resolve to cleanse politics and make it conducive for like-minded, developmentoriented Edo people to participate in. He has done this by eschewing bitterness, prioritizing the people over and above a few self-centred individuals and committed to ensuring the people get due benefit for entrusting him with the mandate to lead. With the commitment to expand the frontiers of development in Edo State, Governor Obaseki would need critics to set him aright when the need arises, but not those to drag the state backward for pecuniary and self-centred interest.
Anyone still in doubt should take a brief walk to the public primary schools under the Edo Basic Education Transformation (Edo- BEST) programme and ask students being taught with new communication technology and a pragmatic learning solution if they are suffering? Are the over 7000 teachers who have been empowered to teach with these new gadgets suffering too? Tony Erha needs to be told with sufficient emphasis that the days of the locust when public fund was frittered, settling special interest or individuals are gone in Edo State and Edo people never want to go back there ever again.
●Aimurie, a journalist writes from Benin- City, Edo State
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