Reviewing Obaseki’s First 100 Days
Judging from his activities within the first 100 days of his administration, Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki has shown strong commitment to actualising his campaign promises, Shola Oyeyipo writes
Initially, the Governor Godwin Obasekiled All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Edo State which came on the saddle on November 12, 2016 did not seem enthused to celebrate the traditional 100 days in office by showcasing its achievements but the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was going to make a political capital from the issue, hence the need to put the record straight.
To some, 100 days may not be long enough to adequately examine the performance of a new administration, but propelled by antics of the opposition to label the government as non-performing, the government decided to keep the people up to date on its achievements within the period.
Though for the government it is not necessarily that there are not enough achievements to reel out, but the PDP chairman in the state, Mr. Dan Orbih, in a chat with journalists had said that the new APC leadership has little accomplishments to brandish.
The PDP chairman’s averment generated altercation between him and the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Obasaki, John Mayaki, who said the concept of 100 in office was a PDP idea. He however maintained that the administration had already done so much within the period.
So, it would be right to say that it was the combination of the PDP criticism and the interest of the public in knowing if the government was really walking its talk that necessitated the resolve to let the people know what had been done within the first 100 days.
Indeed, the young administration has not only laid the foundation for the implementation of some projects that are in tune with its campaign promises, it has put in place templates to embark on some very important projects while it has intensified the inner road in Benin, the state capital and it has also implemented policies that are bringing relief to the people.
The Governor flagged off the 29-kilometre Agbede Awai-Idegun road which he promised to do during his electioneering campaigns when he saw the hardship the people were going through when he visited the area. He vowed to build the road to standard.
The road, according to Obaseki will compliment government’s plan to open up the area for the proposed 40,000 hectares of land for mechanised agriculture by foreign investors who have already indicated interest.
Still in pursuit of road construction, the state government is partnering the Dangote Group to construct 3000 kilometres of roads in various parts of the state in four years, using concrete technology. Currently, the 450 meters stretch between Nevis Street and Lagos Street to Forestry Road in Benin City is being used to test-run the technology.
Without rolling out the drum, a number of roads in Benin City are being asphalted. These include Plymoth Road, Akenzua Road, Ja,mes Watt Road and several other township roads, mostly areas the former governor Adams Oshiomhole administration left behind are being rehabilitated.
As a way to tackle environmental degradation caused by menacing erosion, the government has proactively commenced drainage projects at the Benin Water storm.
Knowing how much his government intends to invest on developmental projects and as a way to domesticate a large chunk of government spending in the state, about 50 youths from the state are now undergoing trainings in general road construction, surveying, carpentry, masonry, safety, lab technology, welding and road supervision. They are particularly being trained in the aspect of the new technology of using concrete pavement to construct roads as being canvassed by Dangote Group.
A significant number of pensioners have quietly received their gratuities during the period under review without lobbying anybody. The workers have all been moved into the contributory pensions’ scheme in line with the Pencom law.
One important campaign promise Obaseki made to Edo people was that his government will create 200,000 jobs during his tenure. This, he hopes to accomplish by improving the agricultural sector and he has been paying noticeable attention to the sector.
To this end, the government has invested serious efforts into improving the sector. It set up an ad hoc agric committee to facilitate the government’s projection to cultivate 5000 hectares of maize, 10,000 hectares of vegetables, 4,000 hectares of palm trees and to support 3,000 cocoa farmers to improve their yield. To further improve agricultural production, the government has resuscitated farm settlements. As a matter of policy, the state government patronises made in Edo rice. The state government is also partnering the federal government to revive and reclaim the nation’s arable lands that have not been put into optimal use over the years.
Sure that the government has both tangible and intangible achievements to showcase, the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa (CGGEJA), during a colloquium with the theme ‘Tracking Governor Obaseki’s 100 days in Office’, highlighted some far reaching actions the government had already taken that are assuring the people that there is high hope for rapid development in the state under Obsaeki.
As part of efforts to bring about the promised industrial revolution in the state, Governor Obaseki inspected the abandoned Benin Technical College, Benin. The school was one of the two established in Africa by the Canadian government in the 70s. While there, the governor described the state of the school as “pitiable and sad”. He immediately set up a technical committee to see to the rehabilitation of the institution.
In Gele Gele, an oil and gas producing community in Edo State, there is a natural harbor that is considered one of the oldest in Nigeria. The governor also visited the harbor, set up a technical committee to facilitate the construction of a port there. When active, the port will surely boost the economy of the state.
It was a move that won the governor accolades across the state. The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II was indeed pleased by the decision of government to activate the port. The paramount ruler assured governor Obaseki of the support of the palace and the ancestors. He commended him for the inauguration of the technical committees.
Another policy that has brought commendations to the government was the ban on illegal taxes and levies collection. With the policy, the Edo State Government limited tax collection to people employed by government. Considered as direct ban on activities of ‘Agbero’, commercial motorists are praising the governor for the decision.
A renowned scholar and public opinion analyst, Prof. Adebayo Williams, who was the guest speaker at the CGGEJA event in Lagos, was full of eulogies for the governor. He was sure that the people are yet to see the stuff the governor is made of.
Describing Obaseki as “A governor and a man of promise”, Williams said: “I can assure you that Edo State will soon be a talking point. It is good to have hardworking governors that can conjoin modernity with governance. He can do that. He is quiet and self-effacing. You cannot have scandal around Obaseki in his first 100 days.”
He said Obaseki is a governor coming from a lineage of earlier tradition of a warrior politician in person of former governor Oshiomohle who smashed the culture of godfatherism in the state; he stated assuredly that “It is unfolding. By the end of his tenure, Edo State would have become the hub of technological development”.
But as he commended Governor Obaseki achievements made in his first 100 days in office, he urged him to quickly constitute a cabinet. “I believe it is paramount for a government to have a cabinet. I want to appeal that he should try as much as possible to get a cabinet in place. No man can be a comprehensive genius,” he noted.
The Editorial Page Editor of The Nation Newspapers, Mr. Sanya Oni, who said 100 days, was a long way to define the development of an administration, likewise commended Obaseki for his keen interest in re-building technical colleges across the state to train skilled technical manpower for industrialisation and job creation in the state.
He also commended the governor for setting up a committee for the development of the Gele Gele seaport to a container terminal, noting that “all these show that the government is futuristic and foresighted”.
The immediate past governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is happy with Obaseki on his achievements in his first 100 days in office, describing it as a good way to start. Oshiomhole who gave the commendation during the inaugural meeting of the state caucus of the APC at the Government House in Benin last Monday, like others, described the governor’s commitment to develop technical education in the state as laudable.
“I am very proud that this administration, within the first 100 days in office, has achieved so much. I commend your initiatives and determination of sustaining your electioneering promises and I want to assure Edo people that the state is in good hands”, he said.
Even as some people are appreciating the way he has started, Obaseki is unrelenting. He is hitching to do more and he is optimistic about some projections. For instance, the governor is working to ensure that by 2019 the state would have added 1000 megawatts to its electricity generation. He is also hoping to ensure that his administration is able to come up with reforms and policies that would actualise the 200,000 jobs promised during his electioneering campaign.
When he addressed the Alumni Association of the Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) who visited him in his office, he said that his goal is to make the state an economic hub.
“We set out to build on the existing foundation laid by the Oshiomhole led -administration. We identify clearly where the jobs will be coming from; agriculture, Industry, and we are set to revamp the various sectors in the state. In two seasons, we should have produced about 100 millionaires”, he projected.
But to him, it is not about talking too much, rather he said “we want to talk less and do more” and he is going on with the slogan “let’s go further, together”.