The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his administration is prudently managing its resources, as the bulk of its revenue is allocated to capital projects aimed at improving the wellbeing of Edo people.
Obaseki said this during a courtesy visit by members of the Igbo Community Union led by its President, Prof. Nathaniel Aniekwu, at the Government House, in Benin City.
The governor said, “I don’t want to be like one of those states that spend 80 per cent of what they earn on recurrent expenditure. Edo State spends the bulk of what it earns on capital projects.”
Obaseki said the priority on capital expenditure is to enable the state government to improve the lives of Edo people, noting, “With such an approach to resource utilization, we will build more roads, schools, fix infrastructure and enable the majority of the people who do not have the opportunity of being in government or politics enjoy the dividends of democracy.
“When we construct roads, improve the public education system, grow manpower to service the economy, reconstruct the state’s secretariat, improve the healthcare system, more lives will be transformed. This is a shift from where we used to be. That is the reason for the political fight we are experiencing in the state.”
The governor assured residents in the state that despite the distractions from enemies, he will remain focused on delivering on his electioneering promises.
“We will never go back to the past. This is a battle we are not going to blink an eye on. The people will not allow us go back to the past, rather together we will work to actualise the dream of every Edo person. We have a direction and a clear path to follow; we don’t know it all but we will do our best for the people of Edo State.”
Earlier, Prof. Aniekwu commended the governor for the infrastructural development in the state, noting, “The completion of two abandoned blocks at the state secretariat, completion of the High Court Complex, remodelling and renovation of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to Olympic Standard in preparation for the National Sports Festival tagged Edo 2020, are commendable feats. So also, is the dualisation work on Ekenhuan Road, and the ongoing efforts at realizing the Benin River port project in Gelegele.”
