A peep Into Obaseki's Second Term.

           Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

            Governor of Edo State.

 By Newscurve.

By Lucky Isibor. 

"A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside"- Denis Waitley.

The above quote by the reknown American motivational speaker, Denis Waitley aptly captures the beginning of the second term of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki who was sworn in for a second term in office Thursday, 12 November after a resounding victory in the 19 September governorship election in the state. 

In his realisation that a leader is a vessel of hope, Governor Obaseki has given hope to the unemployed with the activation of processes for recruitment to fill existing vacancies in the Edo State Civil Service and other departments and extra ministerial departments in the state like the Hospital Management Board, the State Universal Basic Education Board, the three State Schools of Agriculture which will commence classes in early 2021.

The Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC), has commenced the interview of eligible applicants who applied for teaching positions in the state. The Edo State Geographic Information Service (GIS), has also placed advertisement for application to fill existing vacancies in the state government Land Bureau. 

The Edo State Civil Service Commission has also set mechinery in motion to recruit qualified Edo sons and daughters into the existing vacancies in the state civil service. 

Governor Godwin Obaseki informed Edo people that all political appointments will have to wait till early February, save for the Secretary to the Edo State Government, where Barrister Osarodion Ogie was reappointed. According to the governor, the recruited civil servants will be trained for between 30 and 45 days to familiarise them with the rudiments of the civil service to enhance service delivery. He stressed that political appointees will join the state work force after the resumption of the new employees. 

In an effort to make employment creation a shared social responsibility between the government and the organised private sector, Governor Obaseki   recently announced the allocation of over 40,000 hectares of land to 6 firms for commercial agriculture, particularly oil palm development, working with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the Edo State Oil Palm Programme, valued at N69b.

This is laudable as a lot of employment, both direct and indirect are created in the agricultural value chain and this move will surely creat a lot of jobs.

The Govermor's investment in agriculture is given credence by the submission of "The Africa Oil Palm Initiative (APOI)" contained in it's report titled "Africa Oil Palm Initiative:  Highlights of 2019-2020"  which said that "Edo State leads Nigeria in oil palm development as a result of structures and instruments set up to meet requirements for sustainable oil palm production that meets international standards while protecting the livelihoods of smallholder farmers".

The Ossiomo Independent Power Plant has fully come on stream. Apart from powering the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, the power plant has started processing the enrollment of prospective customers into its distribution network. The availability of round the clock power supply will no doubt attract industries to the state just as the utilisation capacities of existing ones will increase. This will ultimately translate to employment opportunities for the youths and increase the volume of commerce in the state. 

The security situation in the state was at its lowest ebb in the last few weeks as a result of the #EndSARS protests which was hijacked in the state by hoodlums. The parlours state of security in the state was scary to investors who have come to repose a lot of confidence in Edo State government and its ability to protect their business environment and secure their investments. 

However, Governor Obaseki who believes in the words of the great Chinese philosopher, Confucius that  "the superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions"; went into action, set up the Edo State Security Joint Task Force. And the story of insecurity in Edo State has changed for the better since the commencement of operations by the new security outfit. 

It does not take rocket science to know that the security breach in Edo State in the past few weeks was not a product of the #EndSARS protests, but a well coordinated and premeditated action of political thugs who were recruited to disrupt the 19 September governorship election in the state.  Realising that that their diabolical plans to rig the Edo State governorship election have disappeared like a puff of tobacco smoke in an old man's pipe, they resorted to mayhem vailed in the #EndSARS protests.

There's no doubt that Governor Obaseki's motivation to the police, his painstaking planning which culminated in the establishment of the joint security outfit has restored sanity to the state while investors confidence in Edo State as the preferred investment destination have been restored. 

There's no doubting the fact that Governor Obaseki's gubernatoral victory and subsequent swearing in for a second term has started to bring smiles and to replace frawns and haunted anxiety on the faces of the people.

Yes, the people have enough reasons to smile and see hope in their future as Governor Obaseki has closed access to the revolving doors of prebendal benefits by those who hitherto had access to siniature positions in government which they used to pillage our common wealth. This has stopped as the Governor has enthroned a regime of prundecy by cutting the pork out of Edo State government expenditure.

The people's confidence also steams from their realisation that Governor Obaseki who has a civil tongue in his head and not given to using expletives and swear words on some identified enemies of the state, values the wealth and resources of Edo State like the only arrow in a warrior's quiver that can't be risked in a shooting betting.

Governor Obaseki has thus far demonstrated that he will reward loyalty, dedication to his avowed committment to the developlement of Edo State and drag Edo people out of the poverty peonage. 

A case in point is the reappointment of  Barrister Osarodion Ogie as Secretary to the Edo State Government. This is a man that took his responsibilities as Secretary to the Edo State Government in the governor's first term with serious grace and loyalty. Though the opposition elements tried straineously to mock members of the old members of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), that they have been sidelined from the government, the trick has failed as the old PDP members are not intoxicated with such empty phrases. Resorting to such infantile talks show clearly that the opposition has not been able to recover from the maudlin stupor they've been beaten to in the 29 September Edo State governorship election. 

There is no doubt that Governor Godwin Obaseki being a very rational and prudent leader will reach out to both the old and new members of PDP in the consideration for political appointments.

From the steps he has taken thus far since his inauguration for a second term, it is clear that Governor Obaseki has marshalled his vision for Edo State with facts well assembled, in words well arranged and in logic well callibrated. The realisation of these indisputable facts make Edo people peep into the workings of his second term with optimism and hope.