... stakeholders chart paths for State's sustained growth, prosperity

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday, launched the 30-year Benin City and Edo Regional Development Masterplans.

The event is part of activities lined up to celebrate the State’s 33rd year anniversary with the theme, “The Glory of the new Edo Nation.”

Obaseki was joined by two former governors of the State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and Prof Osarienmen Osunbor, among others.

Other guests at the event include the Edo State First Lady, Betsy Obaseki; Deputy Governor of Edo State, Marvellous Godwins Omobayo and his wife, Sandra; former Deputy Governors of the State, Peter Obadan and Mike Ogiadome; Edo State Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa; the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo and his wife, Ifeyinwa; his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, serving Commissioners, captains of industries, traditional and religious leaders, among others.

The governor said: “I welcome all of you today, as we launch Edo State Regional Development and the Benin City Master Plans. These are two critical documents that would help us tidy up our administration and summarise what we have been trying to do in the last 8 years. It will also guide and establish a trajectory for where our State is heading in the next 30 years.

“These plans have been carefully put together and we have consulted widely across the State to ensure participation of our citizens. Our people have been involved in this process and will continue to be involved because it's a living document, and not static.

“They are subject to review every 5 years and there will be 6 reviews in the life span of these documents. Today, we are glad that we have been able to make a significant departure from what we met.

“When we did our first flyover across the State in 2017, it became clear to us that beyond issuing titled documents, we needed to plan for the State following what we saw. We saw a disordered mode of development, particularly in Benin City.

“We were also concerned about the growing trend where almost 50 per cent of the population was migrating to Benin City and the lopsided development needed to be addressed and dealt with.”

Obaseki, however, noted that it will be difficult to stop the migration into Benin City if the government fails to provide good amenities and improve the lives of the people in the rural communities.

According to him, “The document that is being launched today took a lot of issues into consideration. We didn’t wait till today to start implementing the plan as we have already started this process. We have made huge progress in the last 8 years.

“We have built a medical hub, technology hubs, among others which are all plans for the future. We have started the plan and done short term quick wins. We are developing the State.”

Noting that lack of planning was one of the problems hindering the country's development, Obaseki stated, “As a people, we have always planned and taken our future and destiny in our hands in Edo.

“We would not be different today as we would continue to plan for our future. Thanks to all those that have worked over the last two years, putting the plan together and today we are launching it. I believe we are set for the future and set to restore the new Edo nation.

“By the grace of God when we leave office on November 12th, the administration that will take over from us will have inherited what we never had the privilege to inherit, a master plan that will guide them into the future.”