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It is now six years since the present administration came into office in Edo State. It is safe to say that the Governor, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, has more or less achieved what he set out to do on assumption of office on November 12, 2008. The agenda was to reclaim the state from backwardness and transform it to a state that works to advance the cause of development and reposition the state to give the people hope.
As at November 12, 2008, Edo State could be described as a state where nothing worked. There were no motorable roads either in Benin City the state capital or in most other urban centres. There were hardly motorable roads linking the various communities in the hinterlands to major towns and cities in the state. School buildings were dilapidated in most areas while some where abandoned for reason of being inhabitable. There was no water, no public transport system and while hospitals in the state were mere consulting clinics.
Today in Edo State there is concrete evidence that the state is working. The Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole administration has brought development in all spheres to the three senatorial districts of the state.
In road development, over 50 contracts were awarded for the construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads across the state. Many of them are already completed. The roads include Sapele road, Sakpomba road, Oba Market road, Akpakpava street, Siluko road, Stadium road, Constain Isonorho road, Airport road with many adjoining streets, Guobadia street, Ivbiye street,Uwa street, Second West and Third Cementary streets all in Benin City. The expansion of Dawson-Urubi-Uselu-Ugbowo Road with the addition of service lanes has eased traffic congestion on the busy gateway to the West. The 5-Junction on Urubi-Uselu road has been redesigned, reconstructed and beautified to give the area not only aesthetics but also to remove the perennial flooding experienced in the area.
Edo North has also benefitted from the road construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation programme of the Adams Oshiomhole administration. The Ekperi-Anegbette road and bridge, Ayogwiri-Apana-Okpekpe, Iyamho-Iyora-Jattu, Jattu-Ibie roads have been completed. Other roads constructed by the Comrade Oshiomhole administration in Edo North include Sebe-Ogben-Otuo road, Ososo-Ojah-Uneme-Enwan-Igarra road, Ivioghe-Igiode-Uzanu road and Jattu-Ayua road. Auchi township road has been reconstructed with the Auchi-Jattu and Jattu Ikabigbo link also completed.
Edo Central senatorial district has had its fair share of road construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation. Roads either completed include Irrua-Usugbenu-Ugbegun-Ebudin-Ujiogba road, Amedokhian-Ugboha road, Igueben-Ewohimi-Ewatto-Ohordua road, Isua-Uzenema-Ebelle road and Igueben-Udo road. As a matter of deliberate policy and design, most of the roads, particularly township roads, are done with accompanying covered side drains, walkways and street lights.
Aside the many roads and streets constructed, reconstructed and rehabilitated in Benin City, the city centre otherwise called Oba Ovonramen Square or Ring Road, has undergone radical transformation to enhance its aesthetics. The installation and construction of a rhythmic musical water fountain at the inner Ring Road has been an attraction, playing host to thousands of visitors daily, particularly at night time.
All over Edo State, the renovation and construction of schools is being executed with many already completed and commissioned. These include Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School, Niger College, Idia College, Adolo College , Olua, Payne and Ohomba Primary Schools all in Benin City, Our Lady of Fatima College, Auchi, Saint Johns Boys Model School, Fugar, Anglican Grammar School, Igarra, Saint Angelas Girls Grammar School, Uzairue, Saint John Bosco College, Ubiaja, Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua, Urhonigbe Grammar School, Urhonigbe,Iguobazuwa Grammar School, Iguobazuwa. All renovated schools have been supplied modern furniture items including electric fans.
Three model secondary schools, one each in the three senatorial districts of the state are being constructed. They are located in Benin City, Iyamho and Ewohimi for South, North and Central senatorial districts respectively. Described as truly modern, the schools have two blocks of twenty seven standard classrooms, three fully equipped science laboratories, a fully stocked library, a canteen, 1,500 capacity hall and sporting facilities each. The model schools are also to have boarding facilities. This new initiative, according to Comrade Oshiomhole, “is to fix what is wrong and give Edo children the platform they need to realise their potentials”.
The health sector has also witnessed massive infrastructural development. While many Primary Healthcare Centres across the state were renovated or rehabilitated with additional facilities like staff quarters, perimeter fences and boreholes, there is the construction of a new ultra-modern Central Hospital complex in Benin City. The Comrade Oshiomhole administration believes and has shown commitment to “the attainment of an optimum level of good health by all the citizens irrespective of class or tribe as a healthy citizenry is the ultimate driving force for socio-economic development”. This is why great attention is paid to the uplift of primary and secondary healthcare, regular and genuine drug and equipment supply as well as the training and retraining of core and ancillary medical personnel.
The Oshiomhole administration has also considered transportation as very important to the socio-economic development of the state as it aids the movement of people and goods in addition to creating a means of livelihood for its operators. Edo people have not ceased thanking the Comrade Governor for providing 100 units of brand new luxury buses to kick-start a dedicated inter and intra-city commuter bus service. The COMRADE BUS is very popular in the state. The state-owned Edo City Transport Service,ECTS, has, therefore, been repositioned to effectively operate, remain self-sustaining, compete on purely economic terms and make profit. EDO LINE has undergone a management and facilities overhaul. Its buses will soon hit the highways again.
Also, radical changes have been made to address the chaotic nature of the major bus stops and motor parks especially within the Benin City business centres. Uniformed government agents empowered by law now keep surveillance on these bus stops and motor parks as well as engage in proper traffic management and control.
In the last six years of the Comrade Oshiomhole administration, attention has also been paid to the provision of electricity to communities in almost all the local government areas of the state. More than eleven mega electricity projects have been completed as well as the provision of prime technical infrastructure such as the supply and installation of transformers, feeder pillars, panel breakers, cables and other overhead materials. Electricity projects completed include Uluoke-Okpella 33kv Overhead line, Otuo and environs electricity project, Idumu-Eran-Eidumeson electricity project, Urhomehe electricity project, Agbonkina-Evbuotubu; Erua-evborien; Ekperi; Sasaro; Udo-Iguafole and Odighi electricity projects. The administration has also engaged in the installation of solar energy-powered street lights and traffic lights.
Provision of portable water is one area in which the Oshiomhole administration has excelled. Areas such as Ekpoma and Uromi which were thought incapable of producing water now enjoy the commodity in abundance. With the purchase of drilling rigs and other borehole equipment, the state government is providing potable water to communities in all the local government areas of the state. From Makeke, Afekunu in Akoko-Edo through Ayogwiri and Ugiole in Etsako West; Eko-Ewu and Eguare Opoji in Esan Central; Iruekpen and Ujemen in Esan West to Ogan and Ugboko in Orhionmwon and Uwelu and Okhokhugbo in Egor, Iraokhor and Ogbona in Etsako Central, Oshiomhole’s government is providing the people with potable water.
Another area in which the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole administration has transformed Edo State is youth and sports development with the repair and renovation of the Olympic size swimming pool of the Sam Ogbemudia stadium; rehabilitation of the main bowl through excavation and re-grassing, repair and rehabilitation of the State Box as well as the repair and renovation of both the Indoor Sports Hall and the Medical Centre.
In the administration of justice, peace and security, women affairs, chieftaincy, arts and culture, commerce and industry as well as labour relations, the Adams Oshiomhole administration has not only demonstrated a commitment to repositioning Edo State, it has ensured that the people are carried along to guarantee sustainability.
There is, therefore, no doubt that Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole has in the last six years brought Edo State out of the doldrums and positioned it on the road to development and greatness. With two more years to go in the life of the present administration, the Comrade Governor requires the continued support of all Edo people to accomplish the task of transforming the state.
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