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Ikenna Ngere
Guest
Outgoing Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki is hopeful that many of his administration’s reforms will remain in place under the new governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo.
In an interview with reporters in Lagos, Obaseki, whose second and final term ends on November 11, expressed confidence that the changes made during his tenure would outlast his administration.
He addressed concerns regarding the continuity of his initiatives, stating that efforts have been made to institutionalise several key reforms.
“The people are very aware of our reforms and legacies we are leaving behind. I don’t think because there is a change in government, they will change some of these reforms.
“Even if the government that is coming doesn’t support or encourage them as we used to, they (reforms) will not disappear.
“Beyond this, in the reforms we have undertaken, we have institutionalised or started the process of institutionalising some of them,” he said
Obaseki added that the process of institutionalising these reforms has already begun, reinforcing their sustainability.
“The people know, and I doubt if they will keep quiet for long, allowing things to go back to what it used to be without complaining or shouting. I’m optimistic that they (reforms ) will last,” he noted.
Obaseki highlighted the importance of educational initiatives like EdoBEST e-learning, emphasizing that workers and parents would resist any efforts by the incoming All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government to undermine such programmes.
He also outlined achievements in restoring respect to the civil service, enhancing educational quality, and improving infrastructure, including electricity, internet connectivity, and roads.
“We are lucky in a way in Edo, because of our location, we are a core, a hub for electricity.
“Edo is the cheapest point to generate electricity because it costs about a million dollars for a kilometer of gas pipeline.
“And it also costs about a million dollars for a kilometer of transmission. Edo is that point where electricity transmission meets gas transmission.
“So, if you generate electricity in Edo today, you can upload and sell it into the grid.
“Edo also has the largest onshore reserves of gas. Most of our gas is either deep offshore or in the swamp,” he said.
Additionally, he stressed the importance of fibre optics infrastructure for connectivity throughout all 18 Local Government Areas in Edo.
He said: “In today’s world, without connectivity, no country is going anywhere in the world. So, we have also invested heavily in this to give access.
“We built networks across all the 18 local governments in the state.”
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