From Tony Osauzo
The governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Godwin Obaseki said yesterday that he would not forgive the People Democratic Party (PDP)-led government for allegedly destroying the state’s Civil service.
He made the remark while speaking at an interactive session organized by Edo State Civil Societies with the theme: “Need for governorship candidates to effectively promote their programmes to Edo people” in Benin City.
“For me and the people, we will forgive the past government for all the money they stole. We will forgive them for destroying all the infrastructure of government but one thing we will never forgive them for is what they did by destroying the civil service”, he said.
According to Obaseki, the mass purge of the civil service by the PDP past government which led to the retirement of all Permanent Secretaries and hundreds of top civil servants, has created a vacuum in the service in such a manner that transfer of experience and knowledge from senior civil servants to the younger ones in implementation of policies and programmes, is lost.
The governorship hopeful who narrated how he has contributed to the success of the APC led administration in the state said what has been achieved over the years was just a scratch compared to what are to be expected in his time as the governor of the state if elected.
He said the ingredients for economic growth were in Edo State and listed manpower, location and land as the state’s great assets.
He explained that the poverty in the country was caused by using our scarce foreign exchange to import foods that can be produced in the country, adding that “with the fall of oil price, we would be forced to produce what we eat. The role of government is to organize that production process”.
Obaseki who fielded questions from members of the civil societies, said he was putting in place a data base of unemployed persons in the state to determine the extent of unemployment and how to address the problem, just as he promised to set up a board to regulate primary healthcare in the state as well as collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Transport to develop Gelegele as a Container Terminal Port.
Why Ikpoba-Okha endorsed Ize-Iyamu -Iyike
From Ighomuaye Lucky
A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) , Mr. Douglas Iyike has said the reason the people of Ikpoba-Okha endorsed the candidature of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is because of his ability to revive the social economic activities of the state.
He stated this while fielding questions from journalists in Benin City.
The former Edo State House of Assembly aspirant said besides his laudable antecedents in the state, he is a pastor with one of the largest churches in Nigeria, noting that it is the first time in the history of the state to have gotten a cleric contesting as a governor and he should be given the maximum support through the ballot box.
“I am not saying this because I feel he is my party member but I am saying it because I know that the man has all that it takes; he has all the machinery to stir up this state and turn it round to a place where people will have peace, where people will have food on their tables and where suffering will no longer be part of the people of Edo State.
“Moreso, as a clergyman, this is the first time in the history of Edo State that we are having a clergyman to become the governor of this state. So we know, as a God-sent, he has all that it takes and he has the fear of God to make sure that the right thing is done to deliver the dividends of good governance to the people of Edo State”, he said.
The PDP stalwart noted that from the look of things, the people of the state have come to terms that the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party, has disappointed them with their numerous unfulfilled campaign promises and that the only option left, is to vote for the candidate of the PDP in the September 10 election.
He also said the people of the state were aware that the various road constructions in the state do not tally with the amount of money that comes as federal allocation to the state and its internally generated revenue.
Group commends Esan over Yakubu’s choice
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
A socio-cultural group under the auspices of Uromi na Agbazilo, has appreciated Esan leaders for choosing one of their own, John Yakubu, as a running mate to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, and urged all Uromi sons and daughters in particular and all Esans in general across Edo State to support and vote enmasse for their ticket.
In a communique signed by its Convener, Patrick Onolememhen, the group urged that a similar meeting be convened when all issues affecting the security and well-being of Uromi people arise.
“That at all times, Uromi people should stand behind their sons and daughters holding positions of authority in all areas of human endeavour anywhere without reservations,” the communiqué added.
It also advised Uromi people to form groups and associations for the purpose of promoting, propagating and defending the common interest of the people in particular and Esan in general.