Outgoing Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, delivered his final address to the residents of the South-South state, marking the end of his tenure as governor.
According to reports, Senator Monday Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa are set to be sworn in today as the new Governor and Deputy Governor, respectively, taking over leadership from Obaseki.
Read Obaseki’s final speech below:
My dear good people of Edo State, as the curtain draws to a close on my two terms as Governor of Edo State, I am filled with immense gratitude to God Almighty and the people of Edo State for giving me the divine opportunity to serve. Though governing Edo has been a challenging task, I thank God for granting me the vision, health, and courage to oversee the monumental transformation of our beloved state. When I assumed office as governor in 2016, we were faced with a pivotal choice: to continue the old order of governance or to embark on a new path that would foster growth and development for our state. We chose the latter, fully aware of the risks and challenges that lay ahead. Today, the breadth and depth of reforms in infrastructure, the economy, and public service have clearly demonstrated that while we chose a difficult path, we have indeed positioned Edo as one of the leading states in Nigeria. At this point, I must sincerely thank the good people of Edo State for their unwavering support throughout our radical efforts to transform governance and politics in a way they had never expected. When we came into office, it was clear that the social, economic, and political structures of our state were weak and in need of restructuring.
However, it was not until we began the reform process that it became evident that we needed an entire system reset. A top priority for us was rebuilding the institutions of state so that Edo could reclaim its past glory. This meant creating strong institutions instead of relying on strong individuals or godfathers. Over the past eight years, we have completely overhauled the way government functions in Edo. Today, I take great pride in the fact that Edo boasts Nigeria’s most advanced public service. Our investments in human capital development, the working environment, digitization, and institutional reforms have resulted in a civil service that is efficient, responsive, forward-thinking, private-sector-oriented, and technologically compliant. We now recruit staff based on merit, and our employees are consistently upskilled and motivated to deliver top-notch service to the citizens of Edo and potential investors. We have invested in modernizing our public service infrastructure, including building a state-of-the-art secretariat complex and other hubs. The John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy and similar institutions will ensure that the progress we’ve made continues, and that our workers are encouraged to perform at their best. We have also ensured that our public servants receive the highest minimum wage in Nigeria, even before the recent increases across other states, as well as other incentives to boost their performance.
One of our greatest achievements has been reclaiming governance and land administration from non-state actors who had, in the past, undermined progress in our state. We successfully dislodged these groups from both land administration and revenue collection by deploying technology, cutting red tape, and eliminating corrupt practices. These efforts helped restore law and order, creating the environment necessary to attract investments and foster growth. Over the past eight years, we have made significant strides in infrastructure development across Edo State. We have constructed over 850 kilometers of state roads in all local governments, and we now generate nearly 1,000MW of electricity daily. With the new electricity law in place, we’ve established an electricity market that will attract further investment in digital infrastructure. Edo State is leading Nigeria with almost 2,500 kilometers of fiber optic cables running across the state. In education, Edo has earned recognition as a leader in Africa, ranking among a select few countries on the continent. We have trained over 15,000 teachers to use technology in teaching nearly 400,000 children in our public schools. As a result, our children are now able to compete globally in literacy and numeracy, positioning them for success in the global arena. This, in my view, is the greatest legacy of our administration.
These educational reforms have been replicated at all levels of education, ensuring that the gains we’ve made are sustainable. We have placed a strong emphasis on technical and vocational education and training (TVET), rebuilding our technical schools to train young people in vocational disciplines to support Edo’s industrialization. My dear citizens, I am leaving office with the satisfaction that we have removed the shame of human trafficking and irregular migration from our state. With the improvements we’ve made in education and vocational training, I believe our young people will no longer be forced to seek menial jobs overseas and endure degrading treatment. We are equally proud of the strides we’ve made in healthcare. We have rebuilt our primary healthcare network using technology, improved the monitoring and supervision of health facilities, and revitalized the State School of Nursing Sciences and Health Technology School to produce skilled healthcare professionals. Our Edo Health Insurance Scheme, the second largest in Nigeria, now covers over 300,000 subscribers, just three years after its launch. The newly rebuilt 270-bed Stella Obasanjo Specialist Hospital will serve as a referral health center for the South-South region of Nigeria.
The success of my tenure has been underpinned by security. Our community-led security network, which works closely with federal agencies, has helped us maintain a safe environment conducive to business growth. Supported by a state-of-the-art command and control center, this system has allowed us to respond quickly to security concerns, contributing to making Edo one of the most peaceful states in the South-South region. We also initiated a revolution in agriculture. Under the Edo State Oil Palm Program, we allocated over 120,000 hectares of land for oil palm estate development, with 40,000 hectares already cultivated. With this, and the strides made in cultivating cassava for ethanol production, we are poised to become Nigeria’s leading producer of palm oil and cassava. Additionally, we have used our status as an oil and gas-producing state to make strides in the petrochemical sector, attracting two modular refineries: the Ido Refinery and Petrochemical Company, which operates a 6,000-barrel per day refinery, and DuPont Energy Park, which houses a 5,000-barrel per day modular refinery.
Beyond hydrocarbons, we have attracted billions of dollars in investments across various sectors, including manufacturing, ceramics, tiles, glass, iron, steel, and cement. One of the main reasons I ran for office in 2016 was my concern for the youth of Edo, who were losing hope and leaving the state in search of better prospects. I’m proud to say we have opened up new opportunities in technology and the creative sector for them to thrive. We established the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, Edo Tech Park, and Indore Innovates, all of which have upskilled our youth for global opportunities in technology and the creative industries. We also took action against human trafficking by establishing a robust institutional framework to address its root causes while supporting the reintegration of over 6,000 returnees. Today, I am pleased to report that we have exceeded the 200,000 jobs I promised during my 2016 campaign. Our efforts to reposition Edo from a civil service-driven state to one focused on production have been highly successful. The state’s economy has grown from $10 billion to over $25 billion, and our internally generated revenue (IGR) is expected to reach 85 billion by the end of the year.
These successes are the result of our groundwork to stimulate economic activity and attract investments across agriculture, energy, manufacturing, real estate, retail, and technology. Our state is now an oasis of hope for investors. As I leave office, I am proud to hand over a plan for the future – the Edo State Regional Development Plan and the Benin City Development Master Plan. These plans will serve as a compass for Edo’s growth trajectory for the next 30 years, ensuring that the gains we’ve made will be sustained. My dear citizens, we have come a long way and crossed the Rubicon of progress. Our children now have a bright future ahead, and our youth have renewed hope. As my tenure concludes, I reflect on the incredible journey we’ve undertaken together. The evidence of our progress is clear.
Unfortunately, recent events and the actions of certain elements in our democracy have shown us that the light of democracy and good governance can be dimmed, but only temporarily. I firmly believe that any attempt to impose illegality and injustice will not prevail, as the will of the people will ultimately triumph. So, my dear people of Edo, let us remain hopeful and strong. None of the achievements I’ve outlined would have been possible without the support of patriotic sons and daughters of Edo State, both at home and abroad. I thank all our development partners, religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth and women’s groups, market associations, and political allies. I thank all of you, including the Obaseki family, the Arrow family, the Vinegar family, BW, and many others. May God bless you all. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria! Long live Edo State!
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