EBEN ENASCO REPORTING.
Inundated by the privileged to participate in the recent Journalists eye marking inspection tour of some of the capital projects executed by Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration, my earlier perception would have been inaccurate.
Arguably, the belief across the board may be a bit difficult to accept given the rising expectations against the proportional deliveries commensurate with the funds available.
However, Governor Godwin Obaseki’s exploits of Infrastructure development in the state is a shock in the spine for me.
In Exodus 31:1-6 and chapters 36 to 39, Bezalel, Bezaleel, or Betzalel, was the chief artisan of the Tabernacle and was in charge of building the Ark of the Covenant, assisted by Aholiab.
In this episode, Merit’s Eben Enasco who was part of the eye marking voyage team to some of the projects completed and ongoing likens Governor Godwin Obaseki to the Biblical Betzalel, who was the chief artisan of the Tabernacle in charge of building the Ark of the Covenant.
ON-GOING CONSTRUCTION OF SHOP-RIGHT SHOPPING MALL
Infrastructure Planning, Appraisal, and Development are unique in preparing stakeholders for the major challenges ahead.
And one of the Governor Godwin Obaseki’s projects that moved journalists during the eye-marking inspection tour was the ongoing construction of the Shopping Mall, with state-of-the-art facilities designed to house, a Cinema hall, e-library, Restaurants, and others in the state.
This mall generated so much tension and rejection from the Civil Society and members of the public who protested against the decision when the governor first marked the Library built by Lucky Igbinedions’ administration for a pull-down.
After here and there, the governor did not wait to convince the agitating society before bringing it down to the dismay of the protesters.
Soon after, Earthmoving equipment began to appear at the wide site which earlier housed the Ministry of Agriculture.
At the time of the inspection tour, the building project has reached an advanced stage which is likely to be commissioned before the year runoff.
GULF MEWS FOR LUXURY PROJECT.
Golf Mews project, is part of the real estate sector backed by the Edo state Governor who believes that the Edo people are desirous of such an asset as it affords them the right atmosphere to live, work, and play when they visit Benin City.
This will redefine the state’s luxury apartment scene, attracting investors to the property market in the state.
The development which is being promoted by the Edo State Development and Property Agency EDPA is a block of 26 luxury apartments and sits on 2,962 square meters of land.
The property which is located close to the Golf Course of the Benin Club and lies opposite the 4th Brigade Headquarters is a 5-minute drive from the Benin Airport.
The building is now at an advanced stage to cap off a litany of the governor’s smart ideology and on completion, it would mark miles of structural reforms embarked upon by Obaseki.
A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE CIVIL SERVANT SECRETARIAT
One of the attractions set by Governor Godwin Obaseki that endeared him to the people during his first spell in office was the class finishing of the Edo State Workers Secretariat, one building complex known to have been abandoned for over 40 years.
According to documented reports, the Palm House which was built by the Military Government of Late Retired General Samuel Ogbemudia, to house ministries and agencies in the 70s, derived its name from the two or three Palm Trees in front of the buildings.
Then, the state from which the present Edo and Delta were carved out was known as Bendel, and to place it in proper viewpoint, due to its fame arising from its status of the undisputed leader in sports, it became known as ‘Bendel number one.’
Then, palm house was an ultra-modern 12-story building complex, with elevators, a central air-conditioning system, and other amenities that clearly defined comfort, imbued with the charming ability to attract honor to those who were privileged to call it a place of work and course, life was then good.
At that time, only three of the five high-rise buildings, consisting of 12-floors were completed – the Palm House itself, the secretariat building which has eight floors, and a two-story Civil Service Commission building.
The beauty of the building departed it as successive governments left it to house reptiles.
In line with his promise to improve the working environment for civil servants in the state, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki commenced the renovation of the Secretariat buildings in Benin City, Edo State.
A few years later the moribund secretariat assumed a defined look from outside and within.
The Secretariat is the permanent administrative office of Edo State’s agencies and parastatals and became a central attraction for all comers.
The project, composed of 4 building blocks with over 150 office spaces that accommodates over 500 civil servants, a library, and a civic center now fully in use
The design complex’s main square was designed to represent the traditional Idia Mask, a key cultural symbol of Benin’s ancient Kingdom, all thanks to Governor Godwin Obaseki who gave Dr. Samuel Ogbenudia a befitting rest with his deft craftsmanship.
IRHIRHI OBAGIE OGHEGHE LINK ROAD.
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, towards the end of 2018, expressed his commitment to bridging the infrastructure gap in Benin City as well as other parts of the state, noting that urban renewal projects will ensure adequate infrastructure is provided to open up different parts of the state.
The governor in his remarks said they have set aside N42.719 billion for infrastructure development in the proposed 2019 budget.
He also set modalities to set up a road maintenance agency in the state to ensure prompt intervention when roads go bad.
He added that with the huge population expected in the area, there is the possibility of expanding the road at the entrance, while alternative routes may be constructed to accommodate the influx of people.
True to his words, the 18.5km long project in Irhirhi Obagie Ogheghe road after two years has opened up Business activities for all classes of investment
TESTIMONIES FROM INHABITANTS, MOTORISTS
Starting with the Irhirhi Obagie Ogheghe, link road, inhabitants during the independent tour of journalists hailed the governor’s initiatives that they claimed opened huge commercial activities with the intra- connection to Benin Sapele express and other links roads in that axis.
According to some residents, who spoke highly of the construction of the road, “we are happy that governor Obaseki constructed this route. The road has given us access to other parts of the state because this road some years ago wasn’t motorable. You can see how development has come”.
A road user, John Osazuwa could not agree less, when he explained how comfortable it has become plying that route. He urged the state government to construct more such roads to open businesses for the citizenry.
AMAGBA, OKONGBON BRIDGES, ROAD PROJECT COMPLETED
Years ago, this part of the city could not be accessed due to the poor state of the route.
The swampy area covered by flowing brooks made it worse for commuters who are on commercial voyages. The cost of transportation was on the increase living poor inhabitants to wallow in abject poverty.
Last year, Governor Obaseki visited with the ideology to expand the city hub to decongest rising traffic.
Today, the access route is completely different with connecting bridges that have now ameliorated the sufferings of the Amagba, and okongbon bridges, which were road projects when they became completed.
The tour also inspected the ongoing construction of the over 10 kilometers Obarentin Forest Reserve road that is near completion.
EXTENSION OF STELLA OBASANJO HOSPITAL COMPLEX.
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, some time ago reassured that his government will sustain investment in the state’s healthcare system, ensuring equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare to every Edo citizen.
The governor, who noted that his administration is committed to ending medical tourism in the state, said the state is improving and repositioning the health sector to meet global standards.
Obaseki, who said this during an inspection of facilities at the state-owned School of Nursing and Midwifery in Benin City, noted that the institution will boost human capacity development and ensure the needed change in the healthcare system in Edo State.
The governor, who expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the school, said his government plans to expand Stella Obasanjo Hospital and build a mother and child medical facility, among other projects, to strengthen the state’s healthcare system.
The building construction at the time of this report has reached an advanced stage.
ONGOING MULTIMILLION NAIRA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE COMPLEX HUB.
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, says government will sustain investment in the agriculture sector in a renewed effort to attain food sufficiency, drive job creation and improve livelihoods.
According to a statement released and made available to Journalists In Benin City, by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, the governor, said his government had intensified the ongoing construction of the Edo Agricultural Development Hub, reassuring timely completion of the project.
Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Stephen Idehenre, who in the statement represented the governor, said the government had also completed the construction of an input warehouse to support agricultural production at the Edo Agricultural Development Hub.
He noted that the ongoing construction work on the Edo Agricultural Development Hub comprises administrative building Ministry, ADP and Donor Project offices, state-of-the-art agricultural processing factory, farm mechanization hub, pig and poultry production prototype buildings, and produce/soil laboratory, among others.
On a recent eye marking inspection, the project is now near completion.
Speaking to journalists at the building site, a member of the project engineer assured of early completion adding, “it is part of the project to be commissioned any time soon.
The remodeled, John Odigie Oyegun, Public Service Academy JOOPSA designed by the present administration to enhance the capacity performance of public servants was also visited by the team which razed thumbs up.
The edifice, housing most government trainings has become a fortress for civil servants earmarked by the government, for upgrades
OSHIOMO POWER PLANT OLOGBO.
We can generate and supply electricity to the entire Edo state 24/7″ says the Asst. GM. Engr. Francis Chukwuma, when asked to give an insight on the activities of the electricity generating plant.
Engr. Chukwuma, obliged journalists the opportunity to move around the facilities, while he took turns to explain their various functions and processes of generating power, distribution, and digital monitoring to her consumers.
Chukwuma, however, disclosed to Journalists that, “the plant has all it takes to generates and distributes electricity to the entire Edo state 24/7, stating that, the Edo Ossiomo Power Plant has the capacity of producing 55 megawatts power with modern digital transmitting transformer CCETC”
Recall that the Ossiomo power plant is the brainchild of the governor.
The Ossiomo Power project a brainchild of the Obaseki-led state government aimed at supplying the state with self-sustaining power with 95MW facility was birthed through a Power Purchase Agreement PPA with Ossiomo Power Company and powers government offices and hospitals, as well as streetlights in Benin metropolis.
Emotan Gardens Estate, Edo Tech Park, and Edo Creative Hub, among others, all enjoy between 22 and 24 hours of stable electricity supply daily from the facility. The power is also being extended to the Edo Enterprise and Industrial Park, among others.
With the state also passed the bill repealing the Rural Electricity Board Law of 1972 to re-enact a new law that makes provisions for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity for residents of the state, paving the way for the establishment of an electricity market in the state.
THE NUJ TESTIMONY
After the second round of the tour, the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ Edo state council, the media tour continued on Thursday with the inspection of ongoing projects and completed ones in Benin City and other parts.
The tour with Moniker, eye marking Governor Godwin Obaseki’s projects in his near six years reign,
was led by the Chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe.
This expressly availed Journalists first-hand information about how to place their observations before putting the outcome for public consumption.
Comrade Festus Alenkhe, at the end of the Edo south inspection tour, hailed the dexterity of the Journalists and government partnership in the discharge of the dividends of democracy.
Alenkhe was upbeat that the media tour, packaged to bring facts and awareness to Edo people with first-hand information, will prepare Governor Obaseki’s administration through a balanced and unbiased reportage for some of his quality projects ongoing and executed.
In the event of the eye-marking tour
fewer of the eye-watering projects got most Journalists wowed and concluded that he deserved to be rated highly and not subjected to underreported.
The inspection, however, offers a holistic approach to the field offering decision-making and problem-solving that lead to more project investment outcomes in the nearest future.