The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has approved price augmentation of contracts for ongoing construction projects in the state to enable contractors cope with the recent increase in the price of construction materials.
The Commissioner, Edo State Ministry of Roads and Bridges, Hon Newton Okojie, disclosed this while briefing journalists after the weekly Executive Council (EXCO) meeting chaired by Governor Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House, Benin City.
With the approval, road construction projects are expected to pick up in Edo as the contracting firms are expected to return to site.
Okojie noted, “The nation in the last few months has experienced an increase in the prices of major construction materials which has impacted negatively on construction activities and residents of Edo State have witnessed a slow down on construction activities in the state.
“The Council approved the memo to create an augmentation of the prices of contracts that will enable our contractors to cope with the increase in the price of construction materials. In the next few weeks, we expect construction activities to pick up again as we continue to implement the government agenda to make the state great again.”
On his part, the Commissioner for Orientation and Communication, Andrew Emwanta Esq., said the Council also approved Edo State Policy on Aging to provide social care and protection for senior citizens.
He said, “The Executive Council has approved the Edo State Policy on Aging which will provide social care and protection for senior citizens. The Council resolved that the policy should move from being a policy on aging to a policy for senior citizens and the age of senior citizens was put at 65 years and above after careful deliberations.
The Council asked the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues to come up with an action plan and implementation strategy on this new policy.”
Also, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Osa-Oviawe said the state government will tomorrow, Thursday, April 28, 2021, officially hand over the defunct Edo State College of Education Ekiadolor to the Federal Government.
She said the move is in line with the ongoing education sector reform in the state, particularly as it relates to Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), adding that “the governor announced a few weeks ago that the state will establish 15 additional TVET schools across the state.”
The commissioner noted, “The EXCO also approved for the Ministry of Education to begin a state-wide biometric and fingerprint capturing for all learners in Edo State, including public and private, tertiary and non-tertiary. This is being done to enable the state to have an accurate database of learners and also be able to track their progress.
“The Ministry of Education had been directed to carry out a census of all learners in both public and private schools.”
