In 1999, when the fourth republic began, the expectations from our people in Nigeria and Edo state in particular were great. They saw the return of democracy as an avenue of realizing their dreams, a system whereby they can have a say on who governs them. According to Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a “Government of the people, by the people and for the people”.
Despite all the enthusiasms, aspirations and hopes in welcoming democracy, the fears and worries that hitherto befell us prior to 1999 are still, not only prevalent but also, are threatening the future of our dear nation Nigeria and its people.
Government after government has come and gone in this last sixteen years of our fledgling democracy with lots of promises and hope, with numerous glad tidings remaining unfulfilled.
In 1999, when it became clearer that the military was actually ready to hand over power to civilians, it was to Edo people a moment of joy where a son of the soil can hold sway as governor, someone who knows the culture, political terrain and the pains of the people. Unlike the way the military deployed governors who were not from the state or had never been to Edo state, the nascent democracy unfolded better opportunities for the people to make their own choices from among the people.This was a major difference, making military governance an aberration and counterproductive in the negation of the will of the people to freely choose their leaders.
This yearning for a better life and good governance was what threw up chief Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion who was seen at that time as fit and proper for the job, having distinguished himself as an executive Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council both in human capital development and infrastructurel wise. The much the people expected from him was a far cry from what he was able to offer them despite occupying the seat for eight years.
In the early life of his administration the signs were there that he could have succeeded but crashed out in his bid to industrialize the State, no wonder he lamented his inability to provide jobs which was to him beyond the state government as the civil service could not accommodate every job seeker and the workforce was cut to size, with about 7,000 workers put out of jobs into the unemployment market.
Lucky Igbnedion struggled throughout his two tenures trying to build industries, but unfortunately the general infrastructure level such as roads, schools, hospitals and very many other sectors of the state economy witnessed a down slide and deteriorated to a state that could best be described as a state of perilous squalor. Even the jobs that were the primary reason for the building of the industries which never saw the light of day became a mirage.
At the time the Comrade Governor took over from Professor Osunbor, whose tenure was short lived by the court of appeal judgment, the condition of Edo state at the time could best be described as crippled and in chains which needed a miracle worker to rescue it.
However, it is obvious today that the comrade Governor has done his best with little resources coming in from the federation account and a zealous taxation drive to complement the support from the centre in order to make an impact and to rescue the state from the chains of underdevelopment, bad leadership and from the grip of godfathers.
No doubt the state has witnessed tremendous growth and change and a complete turn around in the area of roads, education, health and environment, among others, This singular act has no doubt rekindled the belief and hope that Edo can indeed work. This is not to say that all has been done as so much is still required to be achieved to create an economy that can generate jobs and sustain infrastructural growth and development.
Now that the comrade governor is winding down to leave the stage as governor, it is very imperative for Edo People not to also wind back the hand of the clock by reversing the progress that has been recorded in the last seven and half years.
At this stage we need a man who can put in place a structure that can sustain the pace of the ongoing development in the state or even fast track it. A man that can create jobs, engage our youths in productive ventures and understand the reality of the nation’s economy and rise above difficulties, the stomps and storms to continue to put smiles on people’s faces
Having read, watched and listened to the various campaign promises by the different Candidates who are seeking to govern Edo state after the Comrade Governor, it is worthy of note to also understand from them how they intend to achieve all they are promising, most especially, when the economy of the country is facing daunting challenges with the price of crude oil in a continuous slide and today less than $45 per barrel. Gone are the days governors depend on allocation from Abuja to fund their activities, the current situation of the national economy demands dynamism and crack ingenuity to push the state forward and that is what Godwin Obaseki is. He is a man made of sterner stuff in running a government that succeeds, he has a better understanding of economic trends and the issues and resolution of how to turn poverty to riches and to create a gold mine of resources out of a seemingly hapless situation..
For Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, whose name has in been a beautiful choruses of songs across the state political theater, he has put forward a clear and well articulated plan and given an insight into what he intends to do with the state and how he will achieve it.
Recently, during a tour of the Local Government Areas to familiarize himself with delegates of his party APC, he raised concerns about the declining price in crude oil which is the main stay of Nigeria’s economy hence, a threat to the economy and sustainable growth.
According to him, Edo state today though not yet at its destination which it was projected to be, in the last seven and half years has no doubt recorded a major milestone in the developmental indices. He said that there is a strategic plan that was put together by a crop of technocrats which he is an integral part and leader of. He said that the strategic plan has a frame work which is aimed at transforming the economy of the state.
The frame work is targeted to cater for the people’s basic need which includes water, health and education. The second is the infrastructure of the state which includes power, housing, tourism, transport, roads and drainage and lastly production level of the state that can help generate jobs by focusing on agriculture, industrialization and commerce.
To achieve all these he said, is a road-map with a period spanning from 2010 – 2020 has been stratified into phases. According to him phase 1 has a strategic plan, spanning through 2010 – 2012 with a focus on short term policy priorities that will provide the basic needs of the people which includes road infrastructures, building of schools, providing health facilities, construction of drainages, transportation and power, which to a large extent have been achieved by the administration of the Comrade Governor where he functions as the chief economic adviser to the governor and the chairman of the Economic and Strategy Team of the State.
The phase 2 where the state is presently at, is with a strategic plan span from 2013 – 2016 which represents medium term policy priorities that will focus on education with emphasis on content and context of schools, renewed focus on technical education and vocational studies; broadening of skills acquisition with emphasis on middle level technology. This phase he said, will improve on the infrastructure by laying emphasis on completing the ongoing projects and developing new essential infrastructures to drive economic growth and also attract private participation in infrastructure development.
The third phase which represents mid-term policy priority is health; with emphasis on promoting accessibility to affordable and quality health care services. He also added that in this phase agricultural development as a catalyst for economic growth will trigger food production and employment through large scale commercial agriculture. The last as mentioned by him in this phase is industrialization through the utilization of the electricity that will be generated by Azura power plant which he helped to influenced to Edo state and now under construction at Ihovboro in Uhunwode LGA. No doubt Edo state will be in first line charge to benefit from the power that will be generated by the plant which will help to promote and encourage large, medium and small scale industries for job creation.
The phase three he said is a phase that was planned for a span of a period within 2017 – 2020 with focus on long term policy priorities. From what he has enumerated and what one can find on the ground as at today, considering the plans and the target time to achieve them, it will not be out of place to say that 50% of the plans have been achieved.
With the plan still being implemented he remains the best man to continue its implementation having not only been a member of the think tank that puts the plans together he was also the chairman of the team as the case may be.
Considering also now that the main stay of the nation’s economy (crude oil) price is in crisis, the state right now needs a leadership that understand the strategic plan and the ingenuity to think outside the box of waiting for revenue from Abuja to run government and look inward to use the resources that is inherent and residual in our communities, harnessed them and use it to develop the people and the community.
This indeed will be an onerous task that requires a patriotic, intelligent and a dedicated chief executive to be able to achieve all these. I have heard him said that his three- point agenda is job, job, and job creation. This he has assured will be possible through industrialization and agricultural revolution. This no doubt is an audacious hope for the people who have the power to choose who govern them, alas, they cannot wait any longer to behold that reality.
ENDURANCE IHONGBE OBOITE, a public commentator writes from Ekpoma.
