_By Godspower Eguasa_
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has appreciated key development partners in the state, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Italian Government, and other investors, for their unwavering support in fostering inclusive growth, and prosperity in the state, through laudable investments in critical sectors of the state, noting that Edo currently houses the largest Oil Palm Program on the African Continent, with over $500 million invested through both local and foreign direct investment.
Obaseki made this known during a State Banquet organized to welcome investment partners and notable stakeholders who visited the state to seek further engagement opportunities, held at the Edo State Government House, in Benin City.
According to Obaseki, “Today is one of those days where there are so many coincidences, so many things happening at the same time, and I believe eight years after, I understand how these things happen spiritually and how to manage them.
“I want to thank the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) today, led by our brother Tony Akiotu. We could have done all the amazing things in the world in the last eight years, but if people like you didn’t come with your lenses and your voices to let the world know what we have done and accomplished, the struggles we have had to go through to get to where we are today, people would have taken them for granted.”
Highlighting notable strides in investments by his administration over the last seven and a half years, Obaseki thanked key partners who made it possible, while reaffirming utmost commitment to prioritizing the wellbeing and prosperity of Edo citizens and residents.
Obaseki said: “Tonight, we will talk about security and those who have helped us secure Edo because without security we will not be where we are today. So, I want to thank the Inspector General of Police who was here actually but had to be summoned back to Abuja because of some security incidents. Edo clearly is one of the safest states in southern Nigeria. Easily the safest in the south-south, and that has made business possible. It has made it easy for people to come and do their businesses here.
“We have changed the narrative; we have restored our dignity as Edo people. I could feel the pride when we sang the Edo anthem, to tell the world that we know who we are. We know where we are coming from and we know the role that we are ordained to play in this part of our subcontinent and our country.
“But we would not have been able to do what we did in changing our image from what we met when we came into office in 2016, where our communities and society were devastated. Edo ranked highest in terms of human trafficking on the continent if not in the world. Edo women were disregarded because they thought an Edo woman was a victim of trafficking. But today, in the ranking of states where people are trafficked from, Edo does not surface, because we work with partners like the IOM.”
Obaseki continued: “What could we have done with EdoJobs if we didn’t have the support of institutions like GIZ, the Germans? What could we have done without the Italian Government? These are all people who came to our rescue, worked with us, helped us build institutions and systems to recover our state and our society”.
He added: “I want to thank the Consul General of the Dutch Embassy. He said several things. He talked about our bronzes and the importance of those works in reflecting who we are to the world. And I reminded him that 20 years after all those negotiations about returns, it was a trip to the Netherlands, to Lisbon, where I led an Edo State delegation to talk to curators who were holding our works and agreed on a strategy for returns, that has made these returns possible today”.
Obaseki who was proud of the successes achieved especially in the agricultural sector of the state, noted that strategies are currently underway to ensure there is food security and productivity among citizens of Edo.
Obaseki said: “Like I have said, this country was great, Edo State, Midwest region was a great region, and all accomplishments pre-independence and post-independence were not based on hydrocarbons or our assets, it was based on agriculture.
“We lost the culture of agriculture, and what we are doing with them today, through one of the grantees, IDH, is to help us return back that culture which we need to develop agriculture.
“As you know, today we are running one of the largest Agricultural programs on the continent, the Edo State Oil Palm Program (ESOPP), where we have already given out over 70,000 hectares of land under cultivation for oil palm. It is one of the biggest Agric programs today on the continent that is attracting over $500 million of investment. We are going to phase 2 of that program.”
“I am glad that you are here to see what we have done, and I am also excited because, beyond Oil palm, we are working with companies from the Netherlands on cutting-edge research on the production of seeds for things like vegetables, tomato, pepper, in this state”, he added.
In his welcome address, the Anthony General and Honourable Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Osazee Ozi Esq., commended the developmental strides of Governor Godwin Obaseki in transforming the state into a modern and smart city, revamping and remodeling the infrastructural sector of the state.
Also speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON), was Senior High Chief Anthony Akiotu, the Vice Chairman of BON and General Managing Director of Darr Communications, who commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for changing the developmental narrative and history of Edo, especially in the civil and public sector, noting that Edo has become a template for subnational governments.
